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M a k e yo u r d r e a m h o m e a r e a l i t y REALHOMES.COM

Real HOMES 20% OFF

GARDEN ROOMS The perfect work from home space

BEFORE AFTERS

+

43 pages of stunning homes and gardens

garden buys at Cox & Cox

ECO SPECIAL! 70+ easy ways to live more sustainably

How to bag a bargain on Ebay

Roof glazing THE BEST DESIGNS FOR YOUR BUDGET

LOVE YOUR HOME

Stunning extensions to inspire your own project

making sure sustainability is a focus of their business (page 45), it’s clear to see there are plenty of options available, whatever the scale of project or budget.

The homes inside this issue are packed with eco ideas, too. Our cover star, Caroline Briggs, shows how using reclaimed materials in your renovation project can be both sustainable and stylish (page 24), while Jason Orme has turned a dated 1960s property into an energy-efficient home thanks to a series of eco measures (page 72). If you want to take similar steps in your own project, turn to page 81 for our in-depth guide, then explore how to bag a secondhand bargain you’ll love on page 84.

I really hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as the Real Homes team has enjoyed putting it together.

Beth Murton Editor @BethMurton

PHOTOGRAPH KATIE LEE

enes c s e h t d n i h be

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Photographer Katie Lee working her magic (left).

The children’s cardboard box den (below) didn’t make the finished pictures!

It was a sunny February day in Whitley Bay for our cover shoot

Writer Karen Wilson enjoying the coastal views from the master bedroom

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from the editor

O

ne of the few benefits of the recent lockdown has been the environmental impact.

With planes grounded, cars left on drives and increasing numbers of people working from home rather than commuting, there has been a huge reduction in carbon emissions. Of course, there’s no guarantee this trend won’t be reversed over the coming months, but I like to think we’re all beginning to question the choices we make a little bit more.

In a similarly unexpected way, lockdown has forced us all to be more creative and eco-friendly when it comes to our homes, too. Whether you’ve been shopping your home (since real shops were out of bounds) and trying out items you own in another room, upcycling a piece of furniture, or even turning pallets into garden sofas, we’re realising the benefits of opting for sustainable choices to update our interiors.

It therefore couldn’t be more timely for us to be sharing this special eco issue of Real Homes, something we’d actually planned long before lockdown became a reality. Whether sustainability is already second nature to you or you’re thinking about investing in more eco-friendly options for the first time, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite ideas to inspire you. What’s been so heartening while creating this issue is discovering how much easier it is to find sustainable homewares than it was just a few years ago. From colourful rugs made from recycled plastic (page 21) and stylish eco buys (page 23) to the companies

s t n e t n o c 100

Inside track 15

Style agenda 43

Get the latest garden looks for under £300

news This month’s hottest new homeware and design ideas

style maths

45 eco interiors

21

Our pick of the most stylish sustainable interiors brands and why we love them

recycled rugs Stylish and eco-conscious, let one of these designs weave its magic in your scheme

50 23

eco chic Shop the latest trend-led items with an eco-friendly spirit

stylish ways with sustainable surfaces Decorate your walls and floors with these green materials that are beautiful, too

24 real home See how Caroline Briggs was inspired by coastal views for her redesign and extension project

41

105 spotlight on wooden kitchens The latest la designs and expert a vice o or nature-i e sp spired ed spaces

43

hiring friends for a renovation...

Is it a good idea? Readers share their stories

119

91 Save at Cox & Cox!

97

24

REALHOMES.COM

Treat yourself to the latest buys and save 20 per cent

23

The Eco Issue Look out for the logo on our favourite sustainable picks

s t n e t n co project advice

home life

54

65

37

72

91

The latest ideas and essential purchases for your renovation

real home

See how Katy and David returned an old schoolhouse back to its former glory

project news

65 garden rooms Work from home with ease with an office in your garden

Real Home Jason Orme used his expert knowledge to turn a 1960s property into a spacious home

93

10 eco ideas

95

extension of the month An eye-catching addition

81 Essential home updates for an environmentally friendly space

84

Extension diary Interiors writer Linda Clayton on living through a big renovation

97

the August report The latest buys and design ideas for your kitchen and bathroom

second time around Why choosing preloved furniture is the way forward

109

114 15

86

Real garden

Guide to rooflights

Discover how Lauren and Adam created a beautiful outdoor area ideal for relaxing and entertaining

What you need to know about overhead glazing

114 focus on outdoor paving

100 Real kitchen

54 4

Mike and Sasha extended their Victorian home to suit modern family life

86

Ideas for the perfect patio

117 The edit Patterned kitchen flooring and coloured basins

122 Sunday Project How to create a kids haven under the stairs

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EDITORIAL Editor Beth Murton Assistant Editor Alison Jones Features Editor Ellen Finch Style Editor Anna Morley Deputy Style Editor Amelia Smith realhomes@futurenet.com 0330 390 6508

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ISSN 1464 - 4061 áƺ Əȸƺ ƬȒȅȅǣɎɎƺƳ ɎȒ ȒȇǼɵ ɖɀǣȇǕ ȅƏǕƏɿǣȇƺ ȵƏȵƺȸ ɯǝǣƬǝ ǣɀ ƳƺȸǣɮƺƳ ǔȸȒȅ ȸƺɀȵȒȇɀǣƫǼɵ ȅƏȇƏǕƺƳً ƬƺȸɎǣˡƺƳ ǔȒȸƺɀɎȸɵ ƏȇƳ ƬǝǼȒȸǣȇƺ‫ٮ‬ǔȸƺƺ ȅƏȇɖǔƏƬɎɖȸƺِ Áǝƺ ȵƏȵƺȸ ǣȇ Ɏǝǣɀ ȅƏǕƏɿǣȇƺ ɯƏɀ ɀȒɖȸƬƺƳ ƏȇƳ ȵȸȒƳɖƬƺƳ ǔȸȒȅ ɀɖɀɎƏǣȇƏƫǼƺ ȅƏȇƏǕƺƳ ǔȒȸƺɀɎɀً ƬȒȇǔȒȸȅǣȇǕ ɎȒ ɀɎȸǣƬɎ ƺȇɮǣȸȒȇȅƺȇɎƏǼ ƏȇƳ ɀȒƬǣȒƺƬȒȇȒȅǣƬ ɀɎƏȇƳƏȸƳɀِ Áǝƺ ȅƏȇɖǔƏƬɎɖȸǣȇǕ ȵƏȵƺȸ ȅǣǼǼ ƏȇƳ ȵȸǣȇɎƺȸ ǝȒǼƳ ǔɖǼǼ I³! ƏȇƳ ¨0I! ƬƺȸɎǣˡƬƏɎǣȒȇ ƏȇƳ ƏƬƬȸƺƳǣɎƏɎǣȒȇِ ǼǼ ƬȒȇɎƺȇɎɀ ۰ ‫ ׎א׎א‬IɖɎɖȸƺ ¨ɖƫǼǣɀǝǣȇǕ nǣȅǣɎƺƳ Ȓȸ ȵɖƫǼǣɀǝƺƳ ɖȇƳƺȸ ǼǣƬƺȇƬƺِ ǼǼ ȸǣǕǝɎɀ ȸƺɀƺȸɮƺƳِ zȒ ȵƏȸɎ Ȓǔ Ɏǝǣɀ ȅƏǕƏɿǣȇƺ ȅƏɵ ƫƺ ɖɀƺƳً ɀɎȒȸƺƳً ɎȸƏȇɀȅǣɎɎƺƳ Ȓȸ ȸƺȵȸȒƳɖƬƺƳ ǣȇ Əȇɵ ɯƏɵ ɯǣɎǝȒɖɎ Ɏǝƺ ȵȸǣȒȸ ɯȸǣɎɎƺȇ ȵƺȸȅǣɀɀǣȒȇ Ȓǔ Ɏǝƺ ȵɖƫǼǣɀǝƺȸِ IɖɎɖȸƺ ¨ɖƫǼǣɀǝǣȇǕ nǣȅǣɎƺƳ ٢ƬȒȅȵƏȇɵ ȇɖȅƫƺȸ ‫דזזז׎׎א‬٣ ǣɀ ȸƺǕǣɀɎƺȸƺƳ ǣȇ 0ȇǕǼƏȇƳ ƏȇƳ áƏǼƺɀِ «ƺǕǣɀɎƺȸƺƳ ȒǔˡƬƺ‫ ي‬ªɖƏɵ RȒɖɀƺً Áǝƺ ȅƫɖȸɵً ƏɎǝ ‫׏ ׏‬È ِ ǼǼ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇ ƬȒȇɎƏǣȇƺƳ ǣȇ Ɏǝǣɀ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇ ǣɀ ǔȒȸ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇ ȒȇǼɵ ƏȇƳ ǣɀً Əɀ ǔƏȸ Əɀ ɯƺ Əȸƺ ƏɯƏȸƺً ƬȒȸȸƺƬɎ ƏɎ Ɏǝƺ Ɏǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ǕȒǣȇǕ ɎȒ ȵȸƺɀɀِ IɖɎɖȸƺ ƬƏȇȇȒɎ ƏƬƬƺȵɎ Əȇɵ ȸƺɀȵȒȇɀǣƫǣǼǣɎɵ ǔȒȸ ƺȸȸȒȸɀ Ȓȸ ǣȇƏƬƬɖȸƏƬǣƺɀ ǣȇ ɀɖƬǝ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇِ çȒɖ Əȸƺ ƏƳɮǣɀƺƳ ɎȒ ƬȒȇɎƏƬɎ ȅƏȇɖǔƏƬɎɖȸƺȸɀ ƏȇƳ ȸƺɎƏǣǼƺȸɀ ƳǣȸƺƬɎǼɵ ɯǣɎǝ ȸƺǕƏȸƳ ɎȒ Ɏǝƺ ȵȸǣƬƺ Ȓǔ ȵȸȒƳɖƬɎɀٖɀƺȸɮǣƬƺɀ ȸƺǔƺȸȸƺƳ ɎȒ ǣȇ Ɏǝǣɀ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇِ ȵȵɀ ƏȇƳ ɯƺƫɀǣɎƺɀ ȅƺȇɎǣȒȇƺƳ ǣȇ Ɏǝǣɀ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇ Əȸƺ ȇȒɎ ɖȇƳƺȸ Ȓɖȸ ƬȒȇɎȸȒǼِ áƺ Əȸƺ ȇȒɎ ȸƺɀȵȒȇɀǣƫǼƺ ǔȒȸ Ɏǝƺǣȸ ƬȒȇɎƺȇɎɀ Ȓȸ Əȇɵ ȒɎǝƺȸ ƬǝƏȇǕƺɀ Ȓȸ ɖȵƳƏɎƺɀ ɎȒ Ɏǝƺȅِ Áǝǣɀ ȅƏǕƏɿǣȇƺ ǣɀ ǔɖǼǼɵ ǣȇƳƺȵƺȇƳƺȇɎ ƏȇƳ ȇȒɎ ƏǔˡǼǣƏɎƺƳ ǣȇ Əȇɵ ɯƏɵ ɯǣɎǝ Ɏǝƺ ƬȒȅȵƏȇǣƺɀ ȅƺȇɎǣȒȇƺƳ ǝƺȸƺǣȇِ Xǔ ɵȒɖ ɀɖƫȅǣɎ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ɎȒ ɖɀً ɵȒɖ ɯƏȸȸƏȇɎ ɎǝƏɎ ɵȒɖ Ȓɯȇ Ɏǝƺ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ƏȇƳٖȒȸ ǝƏɮƺ Ɏǝƺ ȇƺƬƺɀɀƏȸɵ ȸǣǕǝɎɀٖȵƺȸȅǣɀɀǣȒȇɀ ɎȒ ɀɖȵȵǼɵ Ɏǝƺ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ƏȇƳ ɵȒɖ ƏɖɎȒȅƏɎǣƬƏǼǼɵ ǕȸƏȇɎ IɖɎɖȸƺ ƏȇƳ ǣɎɀ ǼǣƬƺȇɀƺƺɀ Ə ǼǣƬƺȇƬƺ ɎȒ ȵɖƫǼǣɀǝ ɵȒɖȸ ɀɖƫȅǣɀɀǣȒȇ ǣȇ ɯǝȒǼƺ Ȓȸ ǣȇ ȵƏȸɎ ǣȇ ƏȇɵٖƏǼǼ ǣɀɀɖƺɀ ƏȇƳٖȒȸ ƺƳǣɎǣȒȇɀ Ȓǔ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇɀً ǣȇ Əȇɵ ǔȒȸȅƏɎ ȵɖƫǼǣɀǝƺƳ ɯȒȸǼƳɯǣƳƺ ƏȇƳ Ȓȇ ƏɀɀȒƬǣƏɎƺƳ ɯƺƫɀǣɎƺɀً ɀȒƬǣƏǼ ȅƺƳǣƏ ƬǝƏȇȇƺǼɀ ƏȇƳ ƏɀɀȒƬǣƏɎƺƳ ȵȸȒƳɖƬɎɀِ ȇɵ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ɵȒɖ ɀɖƫȅǣɎ ǣɀ ɀƺȇɎ ƏɎ ɵȒɖȸ Ȓɯȇ ȸǣɀǸ ƏȇƳً ƏǼɎǝȒɖǕǝ ƺɮƺȸɵ ƬƏȸƺ ǣɀ ɎƏǸƺȇً ȇƺǣɎǝƺȸ IɖɎɖȸƺ ȇȒȸ ǣɎɀ ƺȅȵǼȒɵƺƺɀً ƏǕƺȇɎɀً ɀɖƫƬȒȇɎȸƏƬɎȒȸɀ Ȓȸ ǼǣƬƺȇɀƺƺɀ ɀǝƏǼǼ ƫƺ ǼǣƏƫǼƺ ǔȒȸ ǼȒɀɀ Ȓȸ ƳƏȅƏǕƺِ áƺ Əɀɀɖȅƺ ƏǼǼ ɖȇɀȒǼǣƬǣɎƺƳ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ǣɀ ǔȒȸ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇ ɖȇǼƺɀɀ ȒɎǝƺȸɯǣɀƺ ɀɎƏɎƺƳً ƏȇƳ ȸƺɀƺȸɮƺ Ɏǝƺ ȸǣǕǝɎ ɎȒ ƺƳǣɎً ƏȅƺȇƳً ƏƳƏȵɎ ƏǼǼ ɀɖƫȅǣɀɀǣȒȇɀِ

13

Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR) www.futureplc.com

Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford !ǝǣƺǔ ˡȇƏȇƬǣƏǼ ȒǔˡƬƺȸ Rachel Addison Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244

#SOREALHOMES

PRODUCTION Head of Production Mark Constance Production Project Manager Clare Scott Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson Production Manager Vivienne Calvert

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CIRCULATION Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers

INSIDE INSIDE

track

Get the scoop on new design ideas, must-have products and looks you’ll love…

ENDLESS SUMMER

Mater Ocean collection dining chairs, £234 each, and table, £508, Heal’s

ECO CHOICE

FEATURE ANNA MORLEY

Style and sustainability can co-exist and Heal’s is proving it.

The über cool homeware brand’s latest ranges sees it embracing the hot trend for eco-friendliness with aplomb. The new collection includes this streamlined outdoor furniture set, which is made from recycled ocean plastics. How’s that for repurposed chic?

easy living Keep the party going with some pretty Heal’s additions that are sure to raise your garden’s style credentials tenfold

Natalie J Wood Detsu handle vase, £65

Recycled round rug in Rust, £159

Bud vase, £25 each

Acacia serving bowl, £25

Case EOS outdoor armchair in rust, £199

Stones cushion, £49

Storks grey, £69 per roll

GO EXOTIC

Palm Springs black, £69 per roll

Add a little drama to a room without the need for Carole Baskin. These cool new designs from print brand Wild Hearts Wonder take nature as a striking source of inspiration. There’s tigers (obvs), palm trees, not to mention stylised Japanese birds.

All of the modern designs are beautifully hand-painted and digitally printed.

Bookworm Live Green: 52 steps for a more sustainable life Jen Chillingsworth (£8.99, Quadrille) For those already recycling, shopping with reusable bags and turning off the tap as they brush their teeth, but who feel they can do more, this book can help. With a focus on less buying, more doing, less wanting and more enjoying, this beautifully illustrated title has a simple message which feels refreshing and relevant.

British Empire blush, £69 per roll

EASY UPDATE

LAWN PARTY Afroart cushion cover, £49

Terracotta flower pot in green, from £19

Perfect the art of the effortlessly chic tabletop this summer season. Anthropologie makes it easy to layer up stylish pieces from its latest alfresco range. Plus, with some of these picks made of sustainable materials, you can dine with an eco-conscience.

Balcony bliss Woven cotton blanket yellow, £45

Bold, beautiful and bright, any outdoor area would feel invigorated by some colourful splashes from Arket’s latest accessories range. Its cool utilitarian offerings would create a lively corner in the garden or patio with vibrant cushions and throws, contemporary toned pots and abstract serveware.

Blockprint melamine dinner plate, £9; Izzie melamine bowl in gold and turquoise, £6; Izzie bamboo melamine side plate in gold and turquoise, £6; Streamlined Flatware, £26; Ardel recycled glass carafe, £32; Lucia cotton napkins, £32 for four; for a similar placemat, try the Makauka, £10; for a similar runner, try the Elodie, £78, all Anthropologie

16

Wooden chair, £119.99; medium plant box, £29.99; large plant box, £39.99; gold plant pot, £29.99; watering can, £29.99; rattan plant pot, £19.99; wooden bench, £99.99; wooden round table, £79.99; folding wooden stool, £39.99; small plant box, £19.99, all H&M

Naturals water hyacinth round coasters, £8 for four, Kitchen Craft

Alseda banana fibre footstool, £25, Ikea Rattan lantern, £10, George Home

ECO TREND

Sustainab ble materials l With the upswing of homewares being crafted from natural, sustainable materialss, these interior piecess are trending right now w

Organic jute laundry basket in blue, £55, Braided Rug Company

OUTDOOR DÉCOR With the boundaries between inside and outside living becoming increasingly blurred, this latest range from H&M steps even closer to creating indoor comfort in the great outdoors. Our favourites include contemporary chairs, plant boxes and just what every patio should have of course – a chic watering can.

Coby set of three multicoloured water hyacinth baskets, £35, Habitat

Homeware haven Experience Aida, a Shoreditch-based multi-concept store with an ecological and ethical ethos at its heart – plus some gorgeous home accessories, too.

Sourcing brands that share its passion, the new collections include handmade platters, reusable cutlery and vintage pieces.

Nkuku Tussi cushion covers, £58 each, Aida SHOP ALERT

GET 20% OFF AT COX & COX – SEE PAGE 91 FOR DETAILS

STATEMENT SEATING

History updated The timeless prints of William Morris have inspired made-tomeasure blinds and curtains in collaboration with Blinds2go.

This contemporary take on the designer’s much-loved work sees designs held at the V&A Museum used to create a collection of striking window treatments, which borrow motifs from Morris’ Arts & Crafts tapestry work.

Sleek, chic and practical. Cox & Cox’s new alfresco lounge furniture is giving us all sorts of fresh feels.

Effortlessly combining comfort and style, its range makes life in the great outdoors a distinctly more sophisticated affair. And who doesn’t want that while relaxing with a favourite summertime spritz?

Altia Lounge set includes two-seater sofa, two chairs and a table, £1,695, Cox & Cox

ST YLE WINNER

Metica recycled PET indoor/ outdoor cushion, £29, Made

Spend v save

Mixed leaf picnic scatter cushion, £7, George Home

utdoor cushions So furnishings are a must for a comfyy o outdoor living space. Weatherproof and providing a pop of pattern, these cushions are an instant sofa update

William Morris Fruit Primrose Roman made-to-measure blind, from £33.35, Blinds2go

Our eco pledges On our quest towards zero waste homes, trying to ‘do our bit’ for the environment is high on many of our agendas. So, this month we thought we’d share what the Real Homes team has been doing in order to go that bit more eco friendly

Pack of wraps, from £10, beeswaxwraps.co.uk

Travel cup and lunch box, £20.99, Huski Home

Parquet oak wardrobe, £649.99, Oak Furniture Land

Bialetti Moka espresso maker, £32, John Lewis & Partners

Yogis cork yoga mat, £65, Wearth London

Laura Crombie ‘I used to get through loads of silver foil until colleagues bought me some reusable beeswax wraps for my birthday. Wrap everything from cake to sandwiches in them, then wipe down between uses.’

Amelia Smith ‘I swapped buying lunch and a daily latte for bringing my own in this lunch box and cup. Made from recycled rice husks, they are biodegradable.

They feel so nice to use making lunch is a pleasure.’

Ellen Finch ‘I adore clothes but have become increasingly mindful about their effect on the planet. I made a decision not to buy anything new for 2020, though second-hand is fine.

I’m shopping my wardrobe instead.’

Alison Jones ‘My brother’s knack for sourcing secondhand clothes, and a lovely Italian coffee maker, has inspired me to renovate my Victorian house with preloved pieces and Gumtree buys.

Best bargain – four skip-rescue doors.’

Anna Morley ‘Keeping flexible and practicing meditation is hugely important to me.

Couple that with a keen interest in being kind to the environment and it made sense to invest in a cork yoga mat. Ommmm!’

Recycled plastic striped garden rug suitable for outdoors, £39, Rockett St George

ST YLE WINNER Karim recycled cotton rug made out of offcuts from fabric shops, from £89, Graham & Green

Chindi rug, handmade using recycled fabrics, from £12, John Lewis & Partners

R E C Y CL E D RUGS

Mosaic flat weave rug, made from recycled cotton, £250, Habitat

Stylish and eco-conscious, let one of these beauties weave their magic into your life, as well as your scheme Nagarî rug in silk, made from recycled Indian saris, cotton and wool, from £399, La Redoute Zala Flax rug, made from recycled plastic bottles, £399, Claire Gaudion

style it now Get comfy with a gorgeous cushion that has some serious green credentials

£10, Ikea es, ttl

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FEATURE ANNA MORLEY

cycled PET

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Iris Coral rug, made from recycled plastic bottles, from £138, Weaver Green

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REALHOMES.COM

Lorena Canals washable water recycled cotton rug in Alaska Blue, £220, Cuckooland

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ST YLE WINNER

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ECO C H I C FEATURE ANNA MORLEY

Incorporating sustainable designs into your scheme has never been easier with the latest trend-led products that have a conscientious yet stylish spirit 1 Kanbalu rattan planter in mustard, £42, Kalinko 2 Tierra salad servers made from recycled plastic bottles, £9, ReChic 3 Lucinda large rattan shade, £90, Habitat 4 Mia recycled glass table lamp, £149, Modish Living 5 Odger blue chair made from renewable wood and recycled plastic, £70, Ikea 6 Green recycled glass jug, £36, Graham & Green 7 Restore basket in Burnt Orange made from recycled plastic bottles, £75.40, Finnish Design Shop 8 Handed By Halo high-side table made from 70 per cent recycled plastic, £169.95, Wayfair 9 Bloomingville Water Hyacinth Camo side table, £119, Cuckooland 10 Canopy trio recycled glass vase set, £30 for three, LSA International 11 Modi reclaimed wood dining table, £499, Barker & Stonehouse 12 DuraOcean recycled plastic chair, £179.99 for two, Robert Dyas 13 Duo cushion made from sustainable materials, £49, Heal’s 14 Round blue recycled glass bud vase, £8, Garden Trading 15 Brown Tones Shapes art print on FSC certified acid-free paper, from £15, Abstract House

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REALHOMES.COM

7

extended Edwardian terrace

Old meets

NEW

A move to the North East gave Caroline Briggs a chance to indulge her passion for reclaimed treasures and create a unique home with inspiring views WHY WE FELL FOR CAROLINE’S HOME… When Caroline Briggs visited Whitley Bay for a walk on the beach in 2014, she knew instantly this was where she wanted to live. After eight years in London, she and her husband had returned to Newcastle while contemplating their next move.

Luckily, he was instantly on board with Caroline’s brainwave, with one proviso – the house they bought must have a sea view. Searching online unearthed a beautiful Edwardian terrace with only a road between its frontage and the North Sea. It was an easy sell. The couple’s flat sold within two days, allowing them to snap up their dream coastal home.

Living among the renovation, which included a kitchen extension and new bathroom, wasn’t easy with two young children. However, Caroline and her husband have tackled it gradually room by room, with exciting plans for a loft conversion to create a second-floor suite still to come. While some coastal homes can become a clichéd celebration of seaside living, full of boat motifs, seagulls and anchors, the couple have opted for restraint and simplicity with honest reclaimed materials, subway tiles and a palette of blue, yellow, white and grey to reflect their surroundings.

Having found such a special home, Caroline is adamant she’ll never move again, and who can blame her? Here, she reveals how they’ve put their own stamp on every room.

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Kitchen, Fern Avenue Antiques of Newcastle. Tiles, Tons of Tiles. Pendant lights, Amazon.

Stools, Atlantic. Rug, HomeSense

Profile THE OWNERs Caroline Briggs, a BBC journalist and photographer (@edwardian_ seaside_home), lives here with her husband, an accountant, and their children, who are nine and six THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom Edwardian terraced house in Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear

#SOREALHOMES

FOR MORE MAKEOVER INSPIRATION, VISIT REALHOMES.COM/COMPLETED-PROJECTS

project COST £103,500

Over to caroline...

‘

My only disappointment with the house when we viewed it was its poky kitchen, which had cold tiles, a brown ceiling and a view of a massive garage in the back garden. I don’t know how I got through the first year with a baby – he’d be in the living room and I was stuck in the depressing kitchen at the back. An extension was a high priority.

‘We designed the new space ourselves and used builders who’d put a leaflet through my sister’s door.

They knocked down the old garage, extended out by seven metres and installed bi-fold doors right across the rear. The new space has a big pantry where the old kitchen was and a utility to keep the kitchen area less cluttered.

‘I wanted to keep the Victorian authenticity with nothing fancy, new or glossy. My sister walked into an antiques shop one morning and saw an amazing Victorian kitchen for £1,500.

It was a corner design but my brilliant joiner said he could reconfigure it to fit our space. By re-using the sink unit and drawers from the existing kitchen, as well as making a new island from reclaimed timber, he somehow made it work. The blue and white subway tiles on the island replicate the old Victorian glazed bricks and we also re-used some bricks from outside to make planters for the garden. It’s a complete one-off and exactly what I wanted.

‘I also love the parquet flooring from my children’s school round the corner. I’d jumped straight in the car when the head teacher sent an email to parents saying it was free to take away from the yard. I love the fact that kids have been running over it for 100 years, including mine.

‘To finish off the room, I found a Victorian larder cupboar Ebay selling for only £150. It’s w ilt, has lots of character and perfectly with the kitchen.

WORDS KAREN WILSON PHOTOGRAPHS KATIE LEE

BEFORE

26

This image and left For a similar dining set, try the New Frontier mango wood table and chairs, Barker & Stonehouse. Sink, Rangemaster. French larder and tap, Ebay.

Fish painting, For the Love of the North.

Herb pots, TK Maxx.

For a floor light, try Dwell. Basket, Ikea

Mirror, Fern Avenue Antiques. Chair, Ikea. Rug, French Connection. Wooden bust, Reclectic. Globe chandelier, HomeSense

TOP TIP

Recycled and second hand pieces are perfect for furnishing a period home. Mix items from different design eras for a modern feel

‘

Moved in June 2014

PROJECT TIMELINE

Submitted plans July 2015

Decorated reception rooms May 2015

Extension finished September 2016

Kitchen extension begins February 2016

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Decorated master bedroom January 2018

Sash windows fitted June 2017

Completed bathroom May 2019

REALHOMES.COM

When we first moved in, the reception rooms had gold wallpaper, purple carpets and swag curtains, which weren’t really to our taste. Initially we painted the walls a French grey but it never particularly worked with the light and I wanted to get rid of the green second-hand sofas.

Because we used these rooms for storage and as a temporary kitchen when the extension was done, I never really fell in love with the front part of the house.

‘It wasn’t until the kitchen was finished that I could hone the colour palette in here, which is now based on what’s outside the window. Sometimes houses by the sea fall into the trap of being a bit too themed. Although I have the odd piece elsewhere, like a beautiful seashell print and one gold anchor, I wanted this room to be more of a nod to the sea. It’s the main family room so gets used all the time, b it’s definitely been more of a pro compared to the other reception , which came together more easil

TOP TIP Embrace your inner librarian and turn your bookshelves into a feature by having a rolling ladder to reach the top tomes

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‘

As there’s no TV in here and the kids don’t tend to use it as much, the second reception room is more of a calm, adult space where I can have a cup of tea and not get disturbed. After we sanded the floorboards, our lovely joiner Dave built the alcove storage on either side of the original marble fireplace. Having the books in here means it naturally lends itself to unwinding.

‘I saw two blue chairs in a shop in Whitley Bay that worked perfectly with the yellow sofa I’d already bought, and suddenly I had a colour scheme.

I really love vintage maps, which are mostly from auctions and antique shops.

‘Overall I like things to be classic with a nod to trends. For instance, the Chesterfield is a traditional shape but has a contemporary feel through the colour. Mixing and matching furnit works for me. I follow my heart if I a piece of furniture, and don’t wor about it matching everything else.

Rug, French Connection. Wall map, Fern Avenue Antiques. Blue chairs, Barker & Stonehouse. Drawers, family heirloom. Rug, French Connection.

Walls painted in Light Blue, Farrow & Ball, Sofa, Abode. Lamps, Ikea. Wall map, Ebay. Cushions, Dunelm

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‘

‘

One of the reasons we bought the house was the symmetry.

I love having two reception rooms on either side of a central hallway and the beautiful tiled floor influenced the colour choices in the rest of the house. There wasn’t much to do in here apart from remove the wallpaper and make it feel calmer with a neutral paint colour. Then I added an old school desk, which was just £15 from a car boot sale and is stuffed with my daughter’s drawings.

For a similar desk, try the Kort, Tikamoon.

Plant pots, Wildflower, HomeSense and RE

Extension £90,000 Bathroom £8,000 Flooring £2,000 Decorating £2,000 Kitchen £1,500 Total project cost £103,500 Joiner/kitchen fitter David Bell, 0191 209 2280, belljoinery.com Fitted wardrobes Top Drawer Furniture, 0191 209 5946, topdrawerfurniture.co.uk Windows Sashfix, 0191 251 4588, sash-fix.co.uk Parquet floor fitting Northern Floorsand, 0191 406 4577, northernfloorsand.com

‘

Try The Hairpin Leg Company for a similar desk. Lamp, Ikea. Cult Furniture has a similar chair

REALHOMES.COM

‘

Costs & contacts

I wanted to utilise the space above the extension for an office, because we both work from home quite often. We thought about installing stairs leading up from the kitchen, but then I had the idea of losing the separate toilet on the first floor and building a metal grid walkway in front of the lovely arched window.

This meant the office could be accessed off the landing. It gave me the double height I wanted, brought more light into the kitchen so we didn’t need an extra roof lantern, and I can hear what’s going on in the kitchen. The kids love it too because they can hang Lego people off it!

‘

‘

For a similar bath, try the Burlington Bateau double-ended bath, Designer Bathroom Concepts. Moroccan cement floor tiles and Artisan wall tiles, both Best Tile. Wall lights, Pathson. Neue Design mirror, Lions Home. For a similar console table, try Bentley Designs Sophia Oak, Oak Furniture House. Shower tray and screen, Ebay.

Shower, Amazon

My vision for the bathroom was for classic metro tiles, antique brass fittings and a vintage sink unit. The game changer was removing the chimney breast so we could fit a walk-in shower. My husband found a shower tray that’s flush to the floor and I picked the lovely patterned tiles.

‘We kept the existing cast-iron bath, which we painted blue, and I stripped the Edwardian console table myself before new cup handles and a bowl sink were added. The wooden tressel was another great buy – just £10 from an antiques shop in Warkworth – and is handy for towels.

I chose reeded glass lights to match the doors and kitchen lighting downstairs.

‘

In our bedroom, I wanted a calm feel to reflect the colour palette outside, trying several tester pots before finding the perfect shade. It goes from green to grey to blue, but it works at every point in the day.

‘There’s an original fireplace in here. The tiles influenced the elements of pink and green. We replaced our solid wooden bed with a traditional Victorian design to match the other beds in the house.

My husband likes it as you can see the fireplace though the bars.

‘We plan to convert the attic into a master suite overlooking the sea. It’s a Conservation Area but we’re probably the only e on the street without windo the loft, so I can’t see planni permission being a problem

Right Oliver single bed, Feather & Black. The Bunnies Fall and Bunny Blossom art prints, Kozyndan. For similar wallpaper, try Oriental garden chalk pink floral; walls painted in Camomile, both Laura Ashley. For a similar throw, try the Waffle throw by Belledorm, Wayfair

Walls painted in Cromarty, Farrow & Ball. Bed and bedside tables, second hand. Bedding, lamps and pink throw, all Ikea. Great Blue Heron print, Juniqe

‘

THE PLANS FIRST FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Our daughter was only three when we moved in, so her room (above) was the first to be decorated.

I wanted her to feel at home in her own little haven. Within the first two weeks we’d replaced the carpet and redecorated in a nice soft pink, which was her favourite colour at the time. The Laura Ashley wallpaper adds a bit of interest to the chimney breast, and I found some lovely Japanese bunny prints, which appealed to my aesthetic, too.

‘I’m very big on getting furniture second hand. I found this Feather & Black hospital-style bed on Ebay and drove to York to pick it up. My brother me the trunk, which is hand soft toys and has the bonus o king a bit like a pirate’s chest

GARAGE

YARD

KITCHENDINER

UTILITY KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

UTILITY

DINING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

BATH ROOM

BEDROOM

OFFICE

BED BEDROOM ROOM

34

BATH ROOM

WALKWAY OFFICE

BEDROOM BED BEDROOM ROOM

THE PROJECT

Dark Grey LED energy-saving rope solar pendant light with on/off switch.

Hang from a parasol or tree, £85, Ella James

ST YLE WINNER

Glow on Enjoy the sun even after it’s gone down by using it to fuel your evening lights. Solar powered lights can create a pretty glow where you want it – without the need for extension cables – and transform your night garden.

Report

SENTIAL BUYS ES D N A S D EN TR S, EA ID THE LATEST FOR YOUR HOME IMPRO VEMENT PROJECT

Highlight beautiful blooms with an LED solar planter light, £14.99, Dobbies Wall Air Force Blue 260 masonry paint, £69.50 for 5ltrs; table in Mister David 47 Traditional oil gloss, £34 for 1ltr, Little Greene

COLOUR ME HAPPY

Stay on the right path with three frosted solar stake lights, £30, Cox & Cox

Paint in the garden can make the foliage pop, add a burst of brightness if you lack a way with flowers, or turn a dull corner into an outside party space. Little Greene has a rich palette of colours you can use on wood, brick, metal or render. Formulated with the same technical expertise used to make paints for lighthouses, boats and bridges, it’s durable enough to withstand any weather. The choice ranges from the environmentally friendly Intelligent exterior eggshell to natural Limewash for a traditional finish.

Prices start from £32 for 1ltr of Intelligent gloss

Billy Oh Dorset, from £1,825, Garden Buildings Direct

take it outside The success of working from home measures means this temporary solution is becoming a permanent one for many. But while we might relish the end of commuting, having a way to separate work and home life is important. If there’s no room indoors to carve out an office, it’s time to go outside. Billy Oh garden offices start from less than £1,600 for 3.5x2.5m – ample room for a desk, chair and storage.

Optional cladding thicknesses and double-glazing means they can be made cosy enough to use all year.

Garden link is très chic

INTO THE BLUE

ENERGY SAVING

}

Formentera, 15x15cm Azur & Brighton Stone, £180 per m2 or £7.20 per tile

Travel broadens the mind and the decorating palette. With our freedom to fly to foreign places curtailed at the moment, now is the perfect time to create that relaxed holiday vibe at home with some beautiful new tiling.

Bert & May’s Artisanal collection draws on Mediterranean skies, turquoise waters and local Spanish flora. Crafted in Andalucia, the collection includes three new designs in a Spanish-inspired colour scheme, with patterns reminiscent of reclaimed pieces and graphic motifs, for a bright splash indoors or out.

Whether you’re after ideas for your new addition, costing help or inspiration for those finishing touches, you’ll find it all in our dedicated online hub – visit realhomes.com/extensions for more

LIGHT IT UP Capture a vintage look while embracing the modern enthusiasm for saving energy. An updated version of the classic squirrel cage filament lamp, this big, bold bulb, from British lighting manufacturers Original BTC, is an LED that provides a warm light (2200k) similar to the original incandescent version, while using less than 10 per cent of the power.

Use it to bring light to an industrial scheme or to add a period twist.

The Davey Lighting LED squirrel cage lamp costs £19.

}

Best foot forward Verona steps into the future with a flooring that offers the warmth of natural wood with the versatility of luxury vinyl tile.

ClickLux is made from a rigid stone polymer composite (SPC) with ultra realistic wood-effect designs on it, ranging from silver birch to rich walnut.

Antibacterial and dust free, it can be clicked together without adhesive, grout or special cutting equipment, and costs £30 per square metre.

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Matt Higgs, director/co-owner of Kloeber UK (kloeber.co.uk), looks at French doors enduring appeal How did the doors come to be known as French?

They were invented in the 16th century during the Renaissance period. France was a major power in the glass industry and began manufacturing large panes of clear glass, so floor-to-ceiling glazed doors became a possibility. This style of symmetrical double door became extremely popular and was a key feature in French architecture of the time. Known as ‘French doors’ they became a much sought-after trend in other countries. Five centuries later, they remain a popular choice in both period and contemporary houses.

Why French doors rather than sliding or bi-fold?

The advantage of a French-style doors over others is versatility.

Unlike sliding and folding doors, French doors will let the light in with full panes of glass to the floor, but can open up fully, either side or both together, and don’t have to be stacked to one side, sticking out into the garden or the house.

Depending on the build detail and hinge type, it’s possible to fold a French door back to the wall.

What materials are used for French doors?

They are available in timber, for a solid and warm feel; aluminium, for a sleek, low-maintenance finish, or alu-clad, with timber on the inside and an aluminium exterior, making it easy to match colours and materials to the style of your home. If you are working to a budget, there are also French doors available made from plastic.

Are there different sizes you can choose?

Most manufacturers will go up to a 1200mm wide panel at a standard 2100mm height. If you opt for made-to-measure, you can create taller doors for a really impactful feature. Pair two doors together or include as part of the glazing running the width of the room.

A DV E RTOR I A L

TRADITIONAL STYLE WITH A MODERN TWIST

to 2m wide and overall systems up to a staggering 16m across. The flushfloor detail breaks down the boundaries between inside and out, for sliding doors with a real wow-factor.

IDSystems slim-framed glazing offers classic good looks with the benefits of contemporary materials.

F

or those wanting to add character to a new extension or looking to replace traditional Crittall steel windows and doors as part of a renovation, one of the fastest growing trends in home design and glazing specification has been to use slender-framed aluminium doors as an alternative for their project.

With the ability to create the classic Art Deco look of narrow frames and slim mid-rails, aluminium doors can combine traditional appearance with the latest in modern thermal, weather and security performance.

IDSystems has been producing innovative glazing for 20 years, and its aluminium Heritage Doors offer the perfect mix of style and function.

Heritage French doors Available as single doors or French doors these can be paired with sidelight and overlight windows for larger

openings to create that iconic neoindustrial look of a complete glass wall.

The doors can be used inside with clear or satinated glass as well as outside.

Typically manufactured in black or dark grey, the style is popular for urban extension and renovation projects.

Heritage bi-fold doors These steel-look bi-fold doors with narrow mid-rails provide unrivalled performance and functionality.

They can slide to one end for a completely unobstructed opening, offering eye-catching design when closed and seamlessly linking indoors and out when opened.

Heritage sliding doors Designed utilising IDSystems’ award-winning aluminium sliding door technology, these are ideally suited for larger openings with the ability to create individual panels up

39

Heritage internal doors Perfect for dividing up open-plan living spaces, the Heritage internal sliding glass partitions provide a striking alternative to traditional doors. The track can easily be recessed into the floor while panels can slide into a pocket in the wall. The Heritage internal doors can be retrofitted into homes or incorporated into the design of a renovation from the start.

Having a complete range of systems means IDSystems can recommend the most appropriate design and configuration for your home. It supplies and installs glazing across the UK, and its expert project advisors have continued to work hard to support customers remotely.

For more information about the Heritage range, visit idsystems.co.uk/ heritage-doors. For quotes call 01603 408804 or email info@idsystems.co.ukÂ

E T A B E D G I B E TH Getting a skilled mate to help with a house project can save money, but is it worth risking a friendship? Two readers reveal their thoughts

YES ‘We said what we thought and took everything

WORDS ALISON JONES

in good humour’ Bianca Opris (@opris_b_designs) is an interior designer based in Brussels ‘You can work for friends if there is trust and communication. When I started out, working for friends was an obvious way to gain experience and build up my portfolio, and I was prepared to offer mates’ rates in exchange. I made over a young couple’s tired 1980s house. Designed and projectmanaged an apartment update. And oversaw a big extension build for someone I’d met via Facebook.

‘With the young couple I was friends with, we weren’t afraid to voice our (few) disagreements to reach a positive outcome. We communicated regularly, said what we thought worked and what didn’t and took everything in good humour.

For my Facebook friend, we became a team and delivered a large residential renovation as if we’d done it for ages. Again, there was communication and mutual respect. I did my utmost for the project and she said she felt supported mentally and emotionally on top of the work itself.

‘With my other friend, I knew her and her family very well but every decision was questioned in the “family forum”. That situation takes careful navigation. Working for a friend changes the relationship dynamic. But we got there in the end.

‘The design process is consultative, that way the agreed plan pleases both parties. I try to be as flexible as possible as I know imposing my ideas won’t work. Not with friends, not with any client.’

‘I didn’t want to make things awkward by complaining so kept silent’ Faith Mitchell (@faithmitchellinteriors) lives with partner Andy in a 1950s threebed semi-detached house in Newcastle ‘Using a friend to help with a renovation makes it hard to complain when something is wrong.

It can be awkward. When renovating our house we had a family friend do all of our doors and skirting boards. While he was very cheap and saved us a lot of money, he ended up dinting all of our newly laid floor in the kitchen. I don’t know whether he’d dropped the doors or the pieces of wood, but after he left there were dints all over the floor. We’d paid so much to have it done and now it really needed taking up and doing again.

‘Because he lives next door to my relatives, I didn’t want to make anything awkward for them by complaining so we kept silent and didn’t say anything. In the end I filled them in myself and we have lived with it.

‘I think if you are paying full price for a service, you expect a good result and feel you have more of a comeback if something is wrong.

When we had the company in to lay the floor, there were a few areas where I wasn’t happy with the finish. I called them and asked them to come back.

‘But this guy was helping us out, he was retired and he’d done it cheap, so we didn’t really feel we could say anything. And because he lived next door to relatives we didn’t want to be like “You’ve damaged the floor and we are really not happy about it,” then have to see him every time we went over to their house. It made it awkward.

‘Another downside to using friends is having to fit in with their schedule and when they can come and help. Other (paying) jobs take priority, which can be frustrating. If something gets pushed back because of someone else’s job, it has a knock-on effect on when everything else is done.’

If you’re paying full price for a service, you feel you have more of a comeback if something is wrong

NEXT MONTH: WOULD YOU RENOVATE ALL IN ONE GO OR DO IT ROOM BY ROOM?

IS HIRING FRIENDS FOR A RENOVATION A GOOD IDEA?

NO

STYLE

maths Multiply your garden’s style for under £300 with our edit of the latest schemes and how to create them on a budget

FRENCH RIVIERA

RELAXED BOHO

Folding bistro set in Lulworth Blue, £120, Lime Lace

Perth medium white garden lantern, £29.99, Lights 4 Fun

Mastholmen outdoor armchair, £90; side table, £35, Ikea

+ Cataline woven garden chair, £129, Cult Furniture

+

+ FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

=

Pink Flag patio flatweave rug, £109 for 160x230cm, The Rug Seller

Lumpa garden nest of tables in yellow metal, £108.50, Maisons du Monde

£23.01 LEFT OVER FOR ESSENTIAL FAIRY LIGHTS

+

Sahara floor cushion, £35, Sainsbury’s Home

Brass vintagestyle watering can, £25, Albert & Moo

FIESTA BRIGHT

+ +

+

£276.99

+

Bees melamine beaker, £6.50, Sophie Allport

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Lhasa outdoor rug, from £54.95 for 120x 180cm, Cuckooland

£294

£6 LEFT OVER FOR A GOOD SUMMER READ

= £298.95 £1.05 LEFT OVER FOR A PACK OF COCKTAIL UMBRELLAS

REALHOMES.COM

Charles Bentley arch decorative outdoor mirror, £85, Wilko

Blue mosaic reversible outdoor rug g, £42, Rocket St George

ECO I N T E R I O RS

The rising trend for sustainable living makes it easier to choose environmentally conscious products for our homes. We pick some of the most stylish Paint Eco-awareness has been weaving its way into all areas of design. So choosing your next paint palette can be climate-friendly, with these companies looking after the planet, as well as your interiors colour scheme.

WHO WE LOVE...

Long before most people had heard the term eco, Cheshire-based Earthborn Paints, founded in 2002, went looking for a true eco alternative to conventional paints. This forward thinking attitude now sees it with a beautiful range of colours, and its refreshingly honest approach is highlighted by the labels on the side of each tin listing every ingredient used. Virtually VOC free and free from acrylics, oils and vinyls, the company was awarded the first UK licence of the EU Ecolabel for Indoor Paints and Varnishes.

WHAT THEY SAY...

‘We’re proud that all paint finishes in both our Classic and Ecopro colour ranges are vegan and none of our products are tested on animals.

Plus many of our products carry the Safety of Toys Standard, meaning they are safe to use in children’s rooms, cots and furniture as well as during pregnancy.’ Cathryn Helsby, marketing manager, Earthborn Paints

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MORE TO TRY

LAKELAND PAINT

Paint formulated with a family focus.

It’s non toxic, odourless, super breathable, safe for children, asthma or paint allergy sufferers and pregnant women.

LITTLE GREENE

With beautiful shades, this Britishbased company produces highquality, animal-friendly, water-based paint with minimal VOCs in recycled metal cans.

FEATURE ANNA MORLEY

LITTLE KNIGHTS

A paint range safe for nurseries and toys as well as unborn babies that is VOCfree and antibacterial.

Peach Baby Claypaint, £45 for 2.5ltrs, Earthborn

Textiles Bring a new lease of life to your living space with an update underfoot or soft furnishing revamp. There’s now a great range of responsible options out there which are so soft you’d never imagine their tough beginnings.

WHO WE LOVE...

With more than 100 million recycled bottles under its belt and a beautiful range of home textiles to show for it, Weaver Green is more than just a trailblazing company. Starting more than 10 years ago, when sustainability wasn’t such a ‘thing’, founders Tasha and Barney Green were inspired while travelling Asia, by a fishing rope made from plastic bottles. Seven years later they’ve perfected the perfect weave to create soft and practical, welldesigned rugs, throws, cushions and footstools.

WHAT THEY SAY...

‘Because we only use recycled plastic in them, all our products are also fully recyclable at the end of their useful life. Many “eco” branded products use mixed materials and this makes the products impossible to recycle at the end of their use.’ Tasha and Barney Green, directors at Weaver Green

3 MORE TO TRY

CLAIRE GAUDION A design-led textile range that’s mindful to the planet with patterned, flat weave rugs made from repurposed plastic bottles.

HAINES COLLECTION Rather than sending high-end fabric offcuts to landfill, this company resells it (at less than half of its original price), thereby reducing waste.

RESPIIN Teal Juno rug, from £67; Kalkan navy cushion, £45, Weaver Green

Stylish recycled and renewable textiles. The range includes cushion covers, throws, table mats and bowls, sold exclusively through Green Pioneer.

Accessories Allow beauty and integrity to combine as you contribute towards a greener planet by choosing eco-friendly home accessories. Quality, crafted pieces made ethically from renewable materials are now helping us to create a zero-waste home.

WHO WE LOVE...

Investing in high-quality, timeless pieces is itself a sustainable practice. Couple that with Denby’s eco credentials and you’ve got a truly earthrespecting company. Based in Derbyshire, where it began in 1809, the company uses only locally sourced clay, and was the

first UK tableware manufacturer to claim zero process waste to landfill. Products are safe to use in the oven, freezer, microwave and dishwasher, making it ideal for daily use.

WHAT THEY SAY...

‘We’ve been committed to working more sustainably for over 200 years, and helping people to make more conscious homeware choices with stylish yet versatile ceramics that can be used throughout the home.

Pieces are made to last and can be used for everyday and special occasions, meaning fewer pieces are needed.’ Hayley Baddiley, head of brand at Denby

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MORE TO TRY

HOKAN BOWLS

A beautiful range of stackable stoneware bowls to help reduce food waste and replace plastic storage containers. Can be used to prepare, cook and store food and are dishwasher safe.

SMIDGE

Affordable, responsible and optimistic. Smidge produce cool reusable travel cups, lunchboxes, water bottles and homewares, all from dishwasher-safe recycled or natural plant-based materials.

Blue Haze stoneware, from £10, Denby

AERENDE

This non-profit, life-affirming, ethical business uses environmentally sustainable materials for homewares that are handmade in the UK by people facing social challenges.

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Beds & bedding Sleep with a clear ecoconscience as your boudoir can be both restful sanctuary and planet-loving haven.

Sustainable choices will help you to respect and support nature.

WHO WE LOVE...

Hypnos is a 100-year-old British mattress and bed manufacturer with impressive eco credentials.

It holds a Royal Warrant, meaning it makes beds for the Queen.

The first carbon neutral bedmaker in the world, it’s FSC and PEFC certified, ensuring timber is sourced from managed forests. It recently received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.

If that wasn’t enough, its new Origins Collection, a partnership with Red Tractor-assured food standards, means that these mattresses contain 100 per cent British wool, traceable right back to Red Tractorassured farms.

WHAT THEY SAY...

‘By only using natural materials such as horse hair, latex, wool and cotton, we are able to create comfort with true integrity across all of our mattresses .

We don’t use synthetic chemicalbased foams or memory foam, which can cause off-gassing.’

Richard Naylor, sustainable development director at Hypnos

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MORE TO TRY

DEVON DUVETS

These duvets are made using 100 per cent British platinum certified wool which is renewable, isn’t treated with bleach, is recyclable and biodegradable, keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer.

MY PANDA LIFE

Bamboo is highly renewable, needing no fertilisers or pesticides and it absorbs carbon dioxide.

My Panda Life create pillows, toppers, bedding and duvets from this sustainable material.

SILENTNIGHT

Its eco-friendly mattresses are fully recyclable and naturally flame retardant without the use of any chemical treatments. Plus they are in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society.

Hypnos Wool Origins 8 mattress, divan and tall Fiona Euro-slim headboard, all in Hypnos Zenith 501 Palm fabric, from £3,267 for a king-size bed set

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Furniture If you’ve been obsessing over a new piece of furniture, but want a more planet-conscious choice, there are options out there that cleverly combine style with sustainability WHO WE LOVE...

Committed to being part of the solution rather than the problem, John Lewis & Partners has made huge in-roads into environmental practices, which includes a handy sustainable homewares edit. In addition, it diverts waste from landfill by recycling sofas, mattresses and coat hangers. Its latest Java II sofas and armchairs are foam-free, meaning no toxic polyurethane, which most sofas are treated with, so breaking down the chair and repurposing the materials is far easier.

Java II armchair, from £1,299, John Lewis & Partners

WHAT THEY SAY...

‘End of life thinking when it comes to homewares is something that is at the forefront of our minds, so developing products which utilise better design, materials and manufacturing processes has now become key. Buying once and buying well will become the watchwords for seasons ahead.’

Philippa Prinsloo, partner & head of product design, John Lewis & Partners

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MORE TO TRY

IKEA

Kitchen fronts made of recycled plastic bottles; a new home solar business; wood mostly sourced from FSC approved forests (aiming for 100 per cent by the end of this year) and recycled materials used in products.

MARKER AND SON

Wood is sourced locally and FSC certified, down and feathers from ethical supply sources. It uses 100 per cent natural materials – never plastics, polyurethane foams, Velcro or staples.

LOVE YOUR HOME

A carbon-neutral company, planting new trees in the UK to offset carbon dioxide emissions. Its Surrey-based showroom is powered by wind and it has an electric pool car.

STYLISH WAYS WITH

SUSTAINABLE SURFACES FEATURE AMELIA SMITH PHOTOGRAPH MALCOLM MENZIES (@VICTORIA_ROAD_RESTORATION)

Deciding on wall and floor coverings is always an exciting part of home improvement projects, so choose one of these eco-friendly designs for a space that’s beautiful and kind to the planet

H

appiness isn’t the only thing that begins at home, it’s sustainable living, too. We’re getting into the habit of recycling, ditching single-use plastic, and moving away from fast fashion, so it’s only right our decorating habits change as well. We’ve seen interiors shows bursting with eco-friendly designs and natural materials as the desire to preserve and protect our planet has never been greater.

So, we’ve gathered the very best ideas for adorning your walls and floors sustainably, without compromising on style.

From preloved tiles to upcycled parquet, take your pick from our favourites and show some love to your environment – both inside and out.

Smart flooring

Reclaimed wood Some things get better with age, and wood is definitely one of them.

If you want its warmth and texture in your home, check out reclaimed wood companies for quality second-hand wood with character at a fraction of the cost of new. Of course, reusing wood means fewer trees being felled, meaning less production and transportation waste as well. There are many companies that reclaim wood of all shapes and sizes, from planks to sheets and even parquet. This reclaimed herringbone patterned wood was bought by @victoria_road_ restoration on Ebay for a stunning feature wall.

Plastic bottle transformation This year, Composite Prime will have recycled the equivalent of 300 million plastic bottle tops to make its decking. That in itself is pretty impressive, but when you factor in its realistic grain effect, resistance to slip, stain, decay and fading, your decking choice becomes a no-brainer. All its products are made from 95 per cent recycled materials, namely plastic and wood flour, so you can decorate your own section of outside space while helping to preserve everyone else’s. HD Deck Dual, £11.94 per m, Composite Prime

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REALHOMES.COM

Parquet flooring is the stuff of dreams for many of us, but you’ll love your floor even more knowing that it was sustainably created. At Quick-Step, its laminate floors are made from the residues and leftovers of the forest and wood industry.

This lowers the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere, helping to reduce the greenhouse effect. So every step you take can be made with a clear conscience. Chevron oak laminate floor, £23.99 per m2, Quick-Step

ECO CHECKLIST Consider the whole life cycle of your materials and ask yourself five questions so you can choose wisely 1 Is the material sustainably extracted?

2 How much transportation is involved?

3 How much waste is created?

4 How long will it last?

5 Can it be recycled?

Natural fibres Sisal is the strongest natural fibre, and carpets made from it are as hardwearing as any man-made design.

The fibres come from the leaves of the agave sisalana cactus, which grows abundantly in warm climates. Only organic waste is made when harvesting and processing, so it’s eco friendly. Babylon grey sisal flooring from £33 per m2, Sisal & Seagrass

Recycled wallpaper Preloved tiles Tile enthusiasts Maitland & Poate hunt down the most decorative, used but nolonger-needed tiles across Spain, France and Belgium, selecting the best to create a thoughtful statement in your home. With no production process or material waste, using reclaimed tiles is an eco-friendly choice. Many are over 80 years old and have been lovingly restored. This Turquesa tile, dating from the 1940s, was reclaimed from Cadiz, Spain, and costs £8.40 per tile.

} } DID YOU KNOW

We’ve got more eco-friendly ideas ready and waiting for you on realhomes.com.

From sustainable furniture to eco conscious renovation tips, head there now!

This mystical mountains wallpaper will make a statement in any room.

Not only is it made from 100 per cent recycled paper, it’s also pre-pasted with a non-toxic adhesive – just spray the back with water and hang. It is even removable, so if you move house or fancy a change, you can use the paper again. WallFunk recycled removable wallpaper, from £231.77 for 2.4x3m, Etsy

Consider cork Cork is an underrated material, but one we expect to be seeing more of in our homes, especially when lovely mosaic tiles like these are on the market. It’s very sustainable as only the bark is harvested every nine years, allowing the tree to continue to grow. The natural material is also durable, provides both thermal and acoustic insulation, is fire resistant and hypo allergenic. Storywall mosaic tiles, from £45.20 per m2, Granorte

Converted schoolhouse

A LESSON IN

S T YLE Katy and David Green restored an old schoolhouse to its former glory, turning it into a spacious family home in the process

This image In a cosy seating area off the kitchen, Katy and Dizzy put their feet up on an Ercol daybed, found on Ebay.

The Kodak lights were sourced at the Salvo Fair Opposite In a nod to the building’s heritage, an old school gym ladder rests against custom bookshelves. Katy spotted the Ingmar Relling Siesta Sling lounge chairs at a vintage fair but didn’t buy them, then tracked these down on Ebay two years later. They fit together to make a twoor three-seater sofa. The coffee table was a gift from Katy’s mum. Ercol trolley, Ebay

Profile THE OWNERs Katy Green, a geotechnical engineer, and her arborist husband, David, live here with their infant daughter Gladys, a baby on the way, and Dizzy the Dalmatian THE PROPERTY A four-bed converted 1893 schoolhouse in Camborne, west Cornwall

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L

ooking back, it was a reckless move when Katy Green and her husband, David, bought an old school that had been converted into offices at auction, without planning permission, having sold their previous house and without anything to move into.

They spotted the property in the local newspaper, went to have a look, and headed to the auction. ‘David was wearing a bobble hat and nodding as he bid so the bobble was just nodding away!’ laughs Katy. ‘It was “going once, going twice” at £112,000, and we thought we had it. Then a new bidder chipped in, so it ended up going for £150,000 “to the man in the bobble hat”.’

Katy and David needed to put down the immediate deposit that was required, and a few frantic calls to the bank later, they’d secured a loan and the house. But what they bought was a far cry from either the original school or the lovely home they now live in.

Outside, there were three prefabricated huts spanning 100 feet, 12 telephone lines and a 22-space car park. Inside, the space had been carved up with stud walls and false ceilings hiding the original architecture. Despite all that, Katy immediately saw its potential. ‘It had an institutional feel, which I really liked, and I liked its weird scale, too – from the front it’s this cute little house, but once you get inside, it reveals its full size.’

The couple secured planning permission, however, because it was a ‘change of use’ they couldn’t get building regulations sign-off – or a mortgage – until the end of the project.

A bridging loan from family saved the day.

Once funds were in place, the couple ripped everything out – right back to the original stone walls. ‘Anything we could do ourselves we did,’ says Katy, whose hands-on approach extended to living in those prefabricated huts on site throughout the 18-month build – without a shower and with only camping stoves to cook on.

They commissioned a timber frame for inside the external walls, insulating between the two, so today, the Aga is all that is needed to keep the whole house warm, even in winter. They had all the windows replaced and the joists at the back of the building cut, raising the floor level to add height to two new bedrooms in the basement.

Downstairs, they added a damp-course membrane and concrete floor, while masons punched windows into the stone walls of the basement, adding granite lintels to match those used elsewhere. ‘It was a big, scary job,’ says Katy.

At the same time, they were reroofing – replacing the modern cement tiles with traditional slate, and reclaimed ridged tiles that Katy sourced for the top. ‘I enjoy hunting things down, but finding a 12-metre run of reclaimed ridged tiles is really hard,’ she admits. They sandblasted and repointed all the stonework, replaced the fascias and removed a modern door from the front of the storm porch.

Inside, they lowered the ceilings in the lounge and master bedroom but kept the full 14-foot height in the main living

space and opted for a herringbone parquet floor. ‘I love a big living/dining space, so I really wanted to keep it,’ says Katy. A bedroom and bathroom up a few stairs, and the two bedrooms tucked into the basement, complete the remodelled space.

They then sanded the original floors in the bedrooms and living room, pulling out staples one by one. ‘It was a labour of love,’ she adds. They had just finished plastering when disaster struck. ‘The ceiling suddenly cracked,’ says Katy.

‘We had to take the whole lot down. I must admit that I did have a little cry at that moment.’ The light at the end of the tunnel soon appeared, though. ‘The kitchen was one of the last things to go in, and the day they fitted the Aga just felt really lovely,’ she says.

Katy scoured the country’s reclamation yards and online auction sites throughout the build to find furniture and accessories to suit her industrial mid-century style, and elements of the internal architecture were built around her finds. ‘I bought a school bench shoe rack for the entrance hall and that dictated the width of the bookcase on the other side,’ she says, ‘and the door frames were made to fit the secondhand doors I found. I love those details.’ Most of the interior came together instinctively as Katy collected things she liked, taking care to keep the look simple.

‘We limited the colour palette to white and wood, with the odd accent of grey or red,’ she explains.

Once the interior was complete, the couple’s thoughts turned to the garden.

‘We’d spent 18 months renovating the house, surrounded by a sea of tarmac, so we couldn’t wait to get rid of it,’ says Katy. ‘A JCB-driver friend dug up the car park, but that just meant we were surrounded by a sea of mud, which was slightly soul-destroying.’ The slow evolution of the garden, which now includes a sun terrace, raised vegetable beds and a family of chickens, is what finally makes the project feel complete.

‘Each year things are growing and that makes it feel like home,’ says Katy.

So was it worth all the risk and hard work? ‘Had I known then what I know now, I might have been a bit less gung-ho,’ she laughs. ‘But I’m glad we did it. It’s a warm space where we can get a bunch of friends together. We’re really happy here.’

‘ANYTHING

WE COULD DO

OURSELVES WE DID; IT WAS A

LABOUR OF LOVE. W E ’ R E R E A L LY

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Clockwise from top Katy and David had the exterior sandblasted and repointed.

They installed new windows, fascias, tiles and roofing, and took the property back to its original design. The newly landscaped garden provides a space to enjoy in the warmer months – Katy and daughter Gladys are already growing vegetables and raising chickens together.

A DFS armchair, sourced on Ebay, sits alongside vintage Ercol Pebble tables and a Moroccan pouffe in the living room. A cushion from California adds colour. Katy and David restored the original floor. Lamp, Lush. For a similar radiator, try Period House Store

WORDS KATIE TREGGIDEN PHOTOGRAPHS BRUCE HEMMING

HAPPY HERE’

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TOP TIP Open shelving is easy to install, emphasises the feeling of space and you can rearrange your displays when you feel like a change

Left and this image An Aga range heats the whole house almost all year round. The bespoke kitchen was fitted by a friend of the family.

Katy sourced the herringbone flooring from an overseas supplier, while the pendant lights originally came from a Rover factory. A hand-me-down kitchen table is perfect for family dinners.

For similar flooring, try Havwoods.

Benz dining chairs, Ebay. Pendant lights, Salvo Fair. Butler sink, Shaw. Fridge, Smeg

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Below and right Katy couldn’t resist ‘Cyril’, an antique skeleton, when she saw him at Otto’s Antiques in Exeter. Her love of Art Deco style is reflected in the light fittings and ‘his and hers’ sinks, from an antiques auction.

The bath was a friend’s; Katy had it sandblasted, painted and added salvaged feet.

Right A walk-in shower fits neatly beneath the sloped roof, with the shower head fitted at the highest point.

The screen follows the line of the ceiling.

For similar metro tiles, try Topps Tiles, Floor tiles, Fired Earth. For a similar traditional shower, try Victoria Plum

TOP TIP Look for vintage posters to add a unique, characterful touch – theme them to the room’s use for tonguein-cheek humour

Linen Me towels, found at auction. Medicine cabinet and red clock, Ebay. For a similar bath, try Classical Baths UK. Black moulded tiles, Original Style. For similar Hollywoodstyle vanity lights, try Easy Lighting.

colour splash

Be inspired by Katy and brighten your bathroom with these vibrant baths for all budgets SPEND SAVE

Astoria blue roll-top slipper bath, £399.95, Victorian Plumbing

Acrylic Boat bath, £1,480, BC Designs

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The Charmouth cast-iron bath, £1,743, The Cast Iron Bath Co

Dawn freestanding bath in Deep Blush, £2,890, Waterbaths of Ashbourne

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Left Old school lockers provide a handy storage solution in Gladys’ room. The little green chair came from a mid-century antiques fair.

Below left Katy and David’s open shelving is a vintage storage unit from local linen shop Manchester House.

Having closed off a doorway, Katy used an old flag to screen the resulting alcove and create a wardrobe.

Lockers, Ebay. Bed, Ikea. Wall prints, Esther Connon

Artworks and accessories, Ebay.

Bedding, Jigsaw.

For a similar bed, try Wharfside

TOP TIP Check your look out in a floorstanding mirror, and bounce light around the space. An ornate surround will make a real statement

mirror mirror

Make sure your outfit’s on point and create a feature with a lovely leaning design, just like Katy has done 1

2

1 Zebedee floor mirror, £445, Loaf 2 Antique gold leaner mirror, £146.95, Melody Maison 3 Arles leaning mirror, £229, Made 4 Acanthus leaves full mirror, £330, The French Bedroom Company

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GoodHome Hyogo matt emulsion paint, £16 for 2.5ltrs, B&Q

KIDS’ BEDROOM PAINT IDEAS If there’s one place you can go wild with your paint brush, it’s in your kid’s bedroom.

Bright colours and fun designs will spark their imagination – but you want it to be stylish too, of course. Over on Real Homes TV, we’re sharing the latest paint ideas for kids’ bedrooms, from creative designs to pared-back spaces that will inspire you to create a room they’ll feel proud of.

Regency Blue matt emulsion paint, £47 for 2.5ltrs, Little Greene

Secret Escape feature wall paint, £14.50 for 1.25ltrs, Crown

E H T O T N I E TUN W O H S S E M O H L A E R

Y TO GET A W W E N G IN AN EXCIT ’S E R E H T ?

S E M EAL HO TV SHOW E IN L N O R U O WANT MORE R S FIX WITH R IO R E T IN R U YO

PHOTOGRAPHS FIONA MURRAY (TOP); RESI (BOTTOM RIGHT)

Room to breathe If spending more time at home has made you realise that you need extra space – whether that’s a home office or separate living area – extending upwards could give you a whole floor away from the hustle and bustle of family life. To find out more about loft conversions and discover if it could work for you, don’t miss our latest episodes.

WIN WIN WIN

Amazing giveaway How adorable is this shed? From The Posh Shed Company, the Ludlow’s compact size makes it the perfect addition to any style-concious garden – and now you could be in with the chance of winning one, worth £1,760.

Watch the Real Homes Show and enter at realhomes.com/tv. Good luck!

WATCH EVERY EPISODE AT REALHOMES.COM/TV 63

A GUIDE TO

Garden rooms Make use of the area around your home to create more living space by putting up a garden room. Find out what you can build and how you can use it...

REALHOMES.COM

WORDS SARAH WARWICK PHOTOGRAPHS BETH DAVIS (3RD SPACE)

C

onstructing a garden room can be a brilliant way to make your home bigger. Both a freestanding building located somewhere on your plot or a garden room rear extension are possibilities – and either could prove a huge asset. What’s more, a garden room can be constructed for a relatively modest cost considering the space it adds and, if you opt to build it away from the house rather than adding on to your home, the process is a minimally disruptive way to add space.

If it provides a home office, a garden room creates space to work that doesn’t impinge on the interior of your home, which can be important psychologically, separating work and the rest of your life with physical distance. But there’s a whole host of other purposes a garden room can have, giving you the luxury of a feature you would never be able to accommodate between the four walls of your house – whether that’s a hobby room, gym and so on.

Building a garden room can be straightforward, but you do need to be aware of the rules, as well as consider the best design and finishes. Our guide will give you the details you need, plus plenty of ideas and inspiration from people who have gone before you.

TURN OVER TO READ HOW THESE HOMEOWNERS CREATED A HOME GYM AT THE BOTTOM OF THEIR GARDEN 65

real home 1

GOOD HEALTH Valentina Druzhinina, husband Alastair Bennett, and their two kids, Charlie and Chloe, created a home gym and meditation space in the garden ‘Our wedding was the main inspiration for the project,’ says Valentina. ‘It took us a few years to make our house a home, and the garden looked lonely, forgotten and out of date. Being an interior designer, my creative soul was screaming for harmony that would come from connecting the main house with the garden through colour, material and concept. Our garden wedding was approaching fast, so work started and the garden room played a major role as the focal point from which everything would unfold. It was to become a multifunctional space with a family gym and garden storage.

‘The gym takes two-thirds of the garden room and one third is left for the garden equipment.

The layout is simple but clever, as it hides a peculiar corner. It’s joined to the main house with a stone path, enabling easy, mud-free access.

‘Before installation we organised concrete foundations and ran the electricity supply. Assembly took just six days. The room is insulated, so it can be used all year round. Black is our favourite colour. It’s easy to work with, looks fantastic and brings the best out of the garden. The room has a living roof that’s beautiful to look at from above. It also helps to keep it cool during summer months.

‘Inside, I went for a few layers of white oil to cover and balance all the yellowish and pinkish undertones of plywood panels and solid beams.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and mirror panels make the room look airy and part of the garden.

‘We both work from home and having this beautiful zen space makes a great change of scenery and breaks the day up nicely when we use it for working out or meditation. The smart storage makes barbecues and garden maintenance a real pleasure.’

COSTS & CONTACTS Project cost £35,890 with installation Garden room 3rdSpace, 01869 254023, 3rdspace.co.uk

PERMISSION KNOW-HOW As a general rule, if it’s an ‘outbuilding’, a garden room can be built under permitted development so long as it isn’t self-contained accommodation.

Your building needs to be single storey with a maximum eaves height of 2.5m and a maximum overall height of 4m with a dual pitched roof, or 3m for any other roof. Check realhomes. com/planning-permission for full requirements, and bear in mind that in areas such as AONBs rules vary. If your home is listed, you’ll need permission.

Garden room an extension to your house? Check PD criteria for single-storey extensions.

OTHER RULES? The building regulations may not apply to your garden room.

You can normally put up a detached outbuilding without needing approval if the floor area’s less than 15m2. It can’t contain sleeping accommodation in this case, though. For a room of between 15 and 30m2, you won’t need to get building regulations approval either, provided that it’s either 1m from any boundary, or is made substantially of non-combustible materials.

THINK PURPOSE What are you using your garden room for? It could provide the separate room you don’t have within the walls of your house such as a home office or cinema room. Perhaps a home gym would motivate you to exercise?

Or it might be a playroom for the kids, or a hobby room for you. Alternatively you might want to create a summerhouse that lets you sit or eat in the garden when the weather’s not quite right for relaxing or dining completely in the open air.

real home 2

SELF BUILD

PHOTOGRAPHS MATT STEVENS (CARL ARCHITECT)

Architect Carl Leroy-Smith of CARL Architect created a garden room that extended his own former home ‘The house is a typical Victorian terrace,’ says Carl. ‘It’s generally quite a dark house, so this is a different type of room from the rest. There’s a whole wall of glass on one side with sliding doors that I made. It’s attached to the rest of the house through an opening where there were French doors that went out on to the garden.

‘It was built under permitted development [PD]. The house is 3.6 metres wide and I could only go out three metres under PD, and it could only be three metres high so you end up with a cube. Giving up some of the garden was fine. In our road, the gardens are about 30 or 40 metres long, so taking out three metres wasn’t a drama.

‘The timber structure and ply is from B&Q – basically the cheapest stuff I could find. It’s all Danish oiled internally, which brings it together as one colour. I like the timber aesthetic.

The flooring is reclaimed Douglas fir that I planed in the garden, then fitted. The outside is western red cedar. The sliding doors I made myself from ply ripped down at B&Q and glass from a local supplier. The most expensive thing was the Vitsoe shelving and desk system used for crafts and work. The hatch was a little house for my son when he was three or four: once he grew up, it became a cupboard.

‘The room created a study and a sitting room – additional family space. It’s fully insulated and complies with building regulations.

The verandah gives some privacy. It’s something I include in quite a lot of projects because it’s a useful space: you can have the doors open but it’s a little bit protected when there’s rain.

‘We ended up sitting in the garden room all the time and not in the original living room at the front of the house. It enabled our son to go out in the garden where we could see him play.’

COSTS & CONTACTS Project cost Around £10,000 Architect CARL Architect, 023 9343 0009, carlarchitect.co.uk

RIGHT SPEC With its purpose – or purposes – decided, you’ll be able to buy or build the garden room that suits. A garden room for daytime use in the summer months only, for example, doesn’t need to be as sturdily constructed as a home office occupied year round, nor does it need to be insulated and have electrics.

Think about whether you need to have heating in the room (see ‘Stay snug’, p.70). The purpose of the room will also determine whether it needs built-in storage, or space for freestanding storage furniture.

ALWAYS ONLINE Unless your garden building is to be a digital detox zone, you’re likely to want Wi-Fi there.

It’s possible that the signal from your router will be strong enough, but, if not, you’ll need to boost it. There are a variety of solutions, including powerlines and Wi-Fi extenders, which you’ll be able to install yourself at low cost. Running an ethernet cable to your building will provide a reliable connection. It’s best done when the underground cable to bring electricity to the building is laid, but if not, it could be retrofitted.

FIRM FOUNDATIONS A garden room needs foundations appropriate to the site and the structure for which you’re opting. Some garden room suppliers take on this part of the work for you, but – depending where you’re buying – you may need to have the base already in place. Make sure you check what’s included when you’re buying so you can organise what you need to, and to allow you to keep track of costs. Foundations are often concrete slab, but there are also plinth systems, and other alternatives that garden room suppliers may offer.

SWITCHED ON A simple summerhouse used in daylight hours only won’t need it, but many garden rooms require electricity for lighting and to power sockets. Your design may come pre-wired, but it will need to be connected to your electricity supply via an armoured cable buried in the garden. Call in an electrician registered as a competent person to do the work, which must comply with building regulations. Generally, this is an extra cost that needs to be accounted for in your budget, and if the room is distant from the house this will add to the bill.

WHERE TO BUY Garden rooms run the gamut from something home-built from wood to bespoke buildings designed by an architect or specialist firm. In between, you’ll find modular kit buildings at DIY shops, online stores or from garden room specialists.

Some companies supply with the option of DIY installation or getting someone in yourself, while others construct, too. Even with a modular design, there will often be customisation options that can make it the right garden room for your needs. DIYing?

Remember that you’ll likely need a mate to lift panels and so on.

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real home 3 STAY SNUG If your room’s for year-round use – and particularly if it’s an office where you’ll likely be sitting still for long hours and there’s expensive computing equipment – choose a well-insulated design with double glazing. You should also include a source of heating for your room. There are a variety of options, including electric convector heaters, electric or oil-filled radiators, and infrared heaters. You can put a woodburning stove into a garden room, but it’s an investment buy in the first place and must be installed by a HETAS-registered professional. Heat wouldn’t be instant, either.

MULTI-TASKING MARVEL Interior designer Louisa Tudor, husband Ed and children Millie and Tom have space for work, play and guests in their garden room

PHOTOGRAPHS GREEN RETREATS

‘My husband and I have lived in this semi-detached house in Twickenham for over a decade,’ says Louisa. ‘With open-plan living on the ground floor, we felt we needed a break-away room, so we decided to look into installing a garden room. We applied for planning permission because we live in a Conservation Area. We went as wide as we could to fit the width of the garden at four and half metres and a depth of three metres. With the last metre width of the room we created an en suite and outside storage.

‘The room has given us a space for work and study, a chill-out zone for the children and a guest bedroom.

Designing the interior for all these needs was interesting. The space is so limited that using darker tones wasn’t really an option. The interior walls are melamine panels with plastic beading, which we removed and filled the holes with cork to create a surface to wallpaper on.

‘A corner sofa bed gave us the versatility to use the space as a chill-out zone for the children or a guest bedroom. For the en suite, we used three different tiles to create some movement and rhythm, again using light colours. Black accents give depth and contrast.

‘The room is in constant use.

I enjoy working away from the main house, guests stay out there with their own en suite and on Sunday afternoons in mid-winter we’ve found ourselves snuggling up there with hot chocolate and a good book. It’s so peaceful.’

BE SECURE A garden room may well have plenty of expensive equipment inside, whether that’s home gym machines or computers and other office essentials, so an adequate level of security is imperative. Invest in a building with a secure structure, including for windows and doors. Consider extra measures too, such as an intruder alarm and CCTV. You should also check whether your home buildings and contents insurance will cover the garden building and what you keep in there – you may need a specialist policy.

COSTS & CONTACTS Garden room £14,000 Plumbing £3,000 En suite and tiling £2,800 Easigrass £2,500 Fencing £1,000 Drapes £900 Sedum roof £850 Decorating £500 Garden room Green Retreats, 01296 325777, greenretreats.co.uk Interior design Louisa Tudor of LJ Interiors, 07920 864403, louisajaneinteriors.com

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FIND MORE GARDEN INSPIRATION AND ADVICE AT REALHOMES.COM/GARDEN

BUDGET SAVVY What you can expect to pay for a garden room varies with supplier, size, materials, whether it’s a kit or bespoke and factors such as insulation and glazing.

You can pick up a simple summerhouse to build yourself from around £500, but you might pay up to around £30,000 for an insulated modular building that’s installed for you. Bespoke designs are often priced by the square metre – do make sure you take into account what’s included in the price to make a fair comparison when you’re getting quotations.

#SOREALHOMES

INSIDE STORY How you use the room will determine the level of interior finish that’s best. You may need to dress windows with a suitable treatment to create the necessary shade and stop glare on screens. Shutters and wipeable blinds are practical options for a garden room as they’re easy to maintain and durable. Washable soft furnishings are useful in a room shared with young kids, and furniture made for conservatories or the outdoors should prove both long-lasting and easy to look after.

mid-century renovation

HOMEWARD BOUND

Taking on a major house renovation is no easy feat, but it’s worth it when you’re finally living in your dream family home, as Jason Orme tells features editor Ellen Finch

BEFORE

Profile THE OWNERs Jason Orme, managing director for Real Homes, his wife Sarah, a teacher, and their children Joel, 10, and Martha, seven THE PROPERTY A three-bedroom detached 1960s house in Staffordshire

Left and above The house is clad with Western Red cedar, which was treated with Sansin to protect it from warping. ‘It allows it to weather naturally to a lovely silvery grey,’ says Jason.

Porcelain paving gives the patio a contemporary feel.

Cladding, Silva Timber.

Maxima brick, York Handmade. Windows, Velfac. Door, Churnet Valley Joinery. Paving, Bradstone. Outdoor dining table, John Lewis & Partners. Chairs, Ikea

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house is probably the biggest purchase you’ll ever make, so it makes sense that, once you’ve found one you think you’ll love forever, you’re prepared to make an investment.

Interpret that how you will, because there’s no one-size-fitsall way to ‘invest’ in your home. It might be investing money in an extension that creates a big living space for your family, because you’ve got young kids who run around a lot, or you want to spend time with your teenager without feeling like you’re on top of each other. It might be investing time, whether that’s in tending a garden, or curating a perfect gallery wall, or upcycling those tired old pieces of furniture you bought for pennies at a car boot sale. It doesn’t have to be about money – I should know, as someone in the process of scraping together a deposit for a house that’ll leave little in the way of cash to do it up afterwards – but it can certainly be worth it.

For Jason Orme, it was a case of investing both money and time into the ‘challenged’ – in his words – 1960s house he

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REALHOMES.COM

WORDS ELLEN FINCH PHOTOGRAPHS JEREMY PHILLIPS STYLING AMELIA SMITH AND EMILY SMITH

project COST £200,000

bought with the view of transforming it into a family home.

Taking a tour of it now, you can tell the hard work has paid off. It’s light, bright and spacious, with the open-plan kitchendining-living area of dreams. Architectural features, like the slatted staircase and the floor-to-ceiling window in the stairwell, give away the family’s love of design. That’s not to say this house isn’t homely, too: rich colours and materials, like the muted blue of the master bedroom and the cabineffect panelling in the downstairs bathroom, add character.

Jason’s been writing about and advising on building and renovating homes for years, and as managing director for several magazines, including this one, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share some of his wisdom with you.

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Talk me through the plan of action – what was it you wanted to achieve with the renovation?

We haven’t actually extended the house significantly, we added around 50 square metres, but by opening up the internal layout, it feels much bigger. We wanted to add some much-needed kerb appeal, lots of light and a sense of flow, as well as making the most of the horizontal shape by creating views through the house to the outdoors. Our designer, Pete Tonks, came up with a scheme that got us excited, including a glass and timber tower for the front of the house. Planning was straightforward, despite being in a Conservation Area.

It used natural materials and was clearly an improvement on what was there before, so it went through in eight weeks.

You’ve been writing about renovations for years, so you obviously knew what you were looking for in a house. What were your key requirements?

We knew this would be the most important house we’d ever own because it’s where the kids would grow up, so we were choosing for the location as much as the house itself.

We bought a lifestyle, to an extent. There’s a sense of security here – this area is more rural and peaceful than the cities and towns I’ve lived in before. Nothing changes more quickly than kids – their needs between the ages of five and 15 are worlds apart – so the property needed to have flexibility as well.

How important was sustainability to you? I imagine it took some work to make the house energy efficient…

It was important in that we believe in it, but it was also practical. It’s a relatively big house in the countryside with no mains gas, which means a high energy bill – so, frankly, minimising running costs was a big drive. We made it more energy efficient by improving insulation and adding triple glazing. Where possible, we felt the materials we used should feel sustainable and be naturally suited to the house. If we were only planning to live here for the next two years, rather than the next 20, we might not have invested in it as much – but it felt like the right thing to do for the house and for us.

What drew you to this particular house, and what were your first thoughts when you saw it?

‘What on earth is it?’ [Laughs] We’d scanned past it on Rightmove before, but when we looked at it more closely, we could see something there. It was ugly, but we liked the long and low horizontal shape of the build. It takes the rather tired property mantra, ‘You can’t change the location but you can change everything else’ to heart. Ultimately, we bought it for the lovely views front and back, its position, the village, the local schools, the nearby pub and all the rest of it.

What advice would you give to others who are getting ready to embark on a big build?

The importance of a good team. We met and worked with so many great people on the house. I can’t say there was any science to it – one good tradesperson begat another – but we just went on instinct. Our builder, Ben, made the house so much better than it would have been, because he did what you want your builder to do: suck up stress and solve problems. I’d also say that if you’re buying a house, make sure it gives you flexibility to grow. They’re living things, houses, and you’ll find more things to adapt as you grow and your attitude changes.

A lot of people decide to live in their new home for a while before they start work. How long did it take you to get underway with the project?

We decided to settle in and see what the house felt like first, so for 18 months we lived there miserably, eyeing up the potential changes we could make. We put up with a few infestations and the embarrassing decorating choices of previous owners, but slowly we got to know the house.

There were a few key issues: poor energy efficiency and build quality, and the classic old-house problem of lots of rooms coupled with a very weird layout by today’s standards.

The house was big enough but it didn’t work very well.

Okay, last question – but it’s a hard one. What would you say is your favourite part of the house?

I think it’s the kitchen. Without wishing to delve into cliché, it’s the part of the house that we gather in and where we have the most laughs as a family. Thanks to the remodel, we have views out of the back, front and side. Sometimes it feels a bit like open warfare in terms of noise levels, but we have other spaces to retreat to for quiet time. We love all aspects of the house, but the kitchen is what we wanted to achieve from the start – and I think it’s been successful.

Build begins April 2017

Bought house January 2014

PROJECT TIMELINE

Worked on design and submitted plans 2015-2016

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Phase 1 finished December 2017

Left, above and below ‘I never really liked gloss kitchens, so we wanted to bring a bit of country style to ours,’ says Jason. ‘The design ethos of the house was a sort of country feel – organic, natural, but modern – so having Shaker-style units painted a deep blue seemed to fit that really well.’

Below Since the build, Jason and Sarah have knocked the kitchen-diner through to a previously unused bedroom and bathroom to create a bigger living space, pantry and home office. The Farringdon stove from Arada is Ecodesign Ready, which means it’s highly efficient and low emission. ‘It speaks to the eco credentials of the house,’ says Jason.

Phase 2 remodel September 2019

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Kitchen, Benchmarx.

Worktop, Apollo. Wall lights, Pooky. Pendant lights, My Furniture. Grey porcelain flooring, Tile Choice. Splashback tiles, Topps Tiles. Appliances, AEG. Bar stools and Magistrelli dining chairs, Ebay. Dining table, Ikea.

Bookshelves, West Elm

Below Jason created the timber cladding in the downstairs cloakroom using DIY merchant-bought timber boards. ‘One of the dangers was that the house could feel too all-white,’ he says. ‘Using colour and rich woods makes the space feel more liveable.’

Pendant, Pooky. Flooring, Tile Choice. Sanitaryware, Better Bathrooms

Top and right Jason and Sarah’s hallway gives away their love of design. The staircase takes centre stage, set in the ‘crazy-butgenius’ glass and timber structure the couple had integrated into their design. A cosy corner tucked away behind it makes the perfect reading nook.

Staircase, Central Joinery. Armchair, Parker Knoll

‘We took a balanced approach to the interiors,’ says Jason. ‘I like simple, contemporary spaces – nothing too overly ornate, cluttered or fancy – but I don’t like the clinical feel you sometimes get in modern properties.

Mid-century modern was a happy hunting ground.’

Stove, Aga. Armchair, John Lewis & Partners.

Coffee table, Made.

Cherry wood flooring, Wood Flooring Superstore

This image and right Jason and Sarah’s bedroom showcases how rich colour and dark wooden furniture add depth to a space.

‘This room has that American mid-century feel, balanced with some modern art prints on the walls,’ says Jason.

Walls painted in Passageway, Valspar.

Bed, And So To Bed. Wall light, Industville.

Side tables, ottoman, armchair and chest of drawers, Made

Right Opting for smart technology in the en suite makes for a more luxurious space. The AquaClean toilet comes with various features including seat warming, and an Aqualisa digital

shower (not pictured) allows for personalised shower settings.

En suite, Geberit.

Floor and wall tiles, Tile Choice. Digital shower, Aqualisa

THE PLANS GROUND FLOOR

Costs & contacts

FIRST FLOOR BATH ROOM LIVING AREA

KITCHEN

BEDROOM

BATH ROOM BEDROOM

HOME OFFICE DRESSING AREA PLAYROOM

BEDROOM

EN SUITE

UTILITY

DINING AREA LOUNGE WC

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Structural work (including labour) £170,000 Fixtures and fittings £30,000 Total project cost £200,000 Builder Ben Schuck, 07971 265991 Lead designer Pete Tonks, 01487 208670, pjtdesign.co.uk Doors and windows Velfac, velfac.co.uk Staircase Central Joinery, 01283 212142, centraljoinerygroup.co.uk Timber cladding Silva Timber, 0151 495 3111, silvatimber.co.uk

A DV E RTOR I A L

TURN YOUR LOFT INTO THE IDEAL HOME OFFICE An extra room at the top will help you make the most of your property’s potential

*FIGURES ACCORDING TO THE OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS

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ith many more people set to join the 1.7 million army of home workers*, it’s no wonder that a work from home space is fast becoming the most popular purpose for a loft conversion.

Because while it might have been fine to spend more than 35 hours a week at the dining room table on a temporary basis, a wellappointed office has to be a longterm solution.

So take advantage of all that unloved space in your attic and create an additional room for an enhanced work-life balance now – and an investment for the future.

It’s vital to separate your home and work environments, and that’s why a loft conversion is ideal. And you don’t need a huge attic – you’ll be surprised at how a small space can be transformed.

The simple act of walking upstairs to another floor of the house will help you psychologically prepare for ‘work’.

Where possible, we would advise adding a bathroom, too – handy while you are busy on the top floor, and it will also add value to the property.

A home office needs consideration in terms of layout – where will your desk and computer be in relation to the windows? We recommend using Velux pleated blinds which let in a softly diffused light. Think about what kit you will need as it’s important to plan in electrical, internet or phone points. List everything you use to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Finally, an en suite loft conversion is a really flexible space. You can swap it from an office to a guest room or bedroom if your circumstances change.

Econoloft offers a one-stop conversion service, with experts

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A dormer loft conversion starts from around £35,000

advising on everything from initial design and planning to final plaster, to make the transition from office life to work from home life a smooth one.

For more details, call Freephone 0800 269 765, go to econoloft.co.uk or contact sales@econoloft.co.uk

10 ways to make your home more

Whether you’re planning a big home improvement project or looking to make some easy switches, try these ideas for an eco-friendly update to your home

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3. Upgrade your insulation

We might all think we’ve switched to more eco-friendly lighting, but if you had a proper look at every bulb in your home, would the reality be somewhat different?

When you realise that lighting accounts for around 15 per cent of the average home’s electricity bills, it’s certainly worth making the switch to more energyefficient LED bulbs, a move that could save you around £40 per year according to the Energy Saving Trust. Want to go further?

By opting for smart bulbs (try the Philips Hue) you can control your lighting via your phone, meaning you can set lighting schedules (great for added home security), and turn lights on/off from any location, an ideal option if you have kids who always forget to switch off the lights before leaving the house, for instance.

TOP TIP To save costs and energy, make sure exterior lights are sensor operated or on a timer so they’re not accidentally left on when not needed

WORDS BETH MURTON AND LAURA CROMBIE

2. GET A SMART THERMOSTAT Guilty of having your heating set to come on at the same time each day, regardless of whether or not you’re home? Get control of your central heating system (and your bills) and stop wasting energy by investing in a smart thermostat, which allows you to remotely control your heating via your smart phone, tablet, computer or a smart assistant. Smart thermostats, such as the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (£219 from the Google Store), learn about your energy usage, working out what time you typically leave or return home, for example, and automatically adjust the settings to suit. The more you interact with your smart thermostat, the greater the energy savings are likely to be. Some thermostats also use geofencing, enabling them to track your location to know when you’re out, ensuring you’re never heating an empty home.

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Switch to LED lighting

If you want to make more savings, you could also consider upgrading the insulation elsewhere in your home. Walls account for around a third of the heat loss in our homes, so upgrading wall insulation can see significant reductions in energy bills. If your home has cavity walls, it’s possible to have insulation injected into the empty space between the inner and outer brickwork (costing around £475 for a semi-detached home, with annual savings of £150 according to the National Insulation Association (NIA)). For those of you planning a bigger renovation project (particularly if you’re taking your home back to bare brick and replastering rooms), it’s the perfect time to insulate walls internally using materials such as insulated plasterboard (try Kingspan). This is thicker than standard plasterboard, so you’ll lose some floorspace in the finished room which you’ll need to take into account. Costs for fitting internal wall insulation in a typical semi-detached home are about £7,400, according to the NIA.

An inexpensive way to improve your home’s energy efficiency relatively quickly is to improve your loft insulation. A quarter of the heat will be escaping through the roof in an uninsulated home, meaning significant energy losses.

A fairly straightforward job to do yourself, the easiest solution is to lay rolls of insulation in between the floor joists, with a second layer placed on top at right angles to ensure there is even coverage. The recommended depth of insulation is 270mm, so if you currently have less than this it’s worth adding an additional layer on top to meet the guidelines. In terms of costs, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) advises that to fit 270mm of insulation in the uninsulated loft of a typical semi-detached home would cost £300, generating savings of £135 per year. When you consider that loft insulation typically has a lifespan of around 40 years, it’s clear you’ll easily recoup any initial outlay. For added eco points, look at options such as natural sheep’s wool insulation (try Thermafleece).

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Want to find out about all the latest technology and how it can help cut your energy use and your bills? Head to The Hub at realhomes.com/ technology for the lowdown

Improve your home’s glazing Maximising the thermal performance of your windows is essential to ensure you’re not paying for heat that will simply escape through your glazing.

Renovating or extending your home is the perfect chance to consider upgrading your glazing as part of a bigger project. Every window (the frame and the glass) has an energy rating based on how well it prevents heat loss, keeps out draughts and prevents solar gain. Ratings range from A++ to E, with A++ being the highest rating, and a rating of ‘C’ or above is essential for new or replacement windows for them to comply with building regulations (except in historic properties and Conservation Areas). Triple glazing and low-emissivity glazing options (which let sunlight in but prevent heat escaping) are best for maximum energy efficiency, but speak to your supplier to discuss what is suitable for your project.

You might, for example, choose to only specify more expensive triple glazing on north-facing elevations that won’t have the solar gain of south-facing rooms.

‘Focus on products that could benefit most from triple glazing, like doors with expanses of glass, for the greatest improvement in thermal efficiency for your money,’ says Matt Higgs, director of Klöeber UK.

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TOP TIP For a quick way to save energy and money, turn your heating thermostat down by one degree and you’ll be £60 better off per year, according to the Energy Saving Trust

5. Choose reclaimed materials Want to give your home more character and prevent items going to landfill unnecessarily?

Renovating your home doesn’t always have to mean buying everything brand new to achieve the look you’re after. From basins to bricks and flooring to fireplaces, the eco benefits to incorporating salvaged materials in your home improvement project are clear to see. ‘Your local salvage yard is a fantastic source of architectural treasures to enhance your home, from antique fireplaces with intricate detailing to floorboards that capture that patina of centuries of footsteps,’ says Melanie Griffiths, editor of Period Living magazine. ‘Reclaimed materials bring an abundance of period charm to a home, and are especially useful for repairing

or reinstating original features that have been damaged or lost. Reusing items rather than buying new also cuts down on the environmental impact of manufacturing and transport.’

As Roger Hunt, author of Old House Eco Handbook explains, ‘Just as with antiques, prices vary depending on condition, quality and rarity. Seldom will you find car boot sale prices and desirable period items will be expensive.

Even so, there are sometimes bargains to be had, and when buying in quantity, dealers may strike a deal over price.’

Search the online directory at salvoweb.com to find your nearest reclamation yard, then head to the Period Living hub at realhomes.com/period-living for more expert renovation advice.

6. QUICK ECO SWAPS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW...

TRY ECO CLEANING MATERIALS Swap chemical-packed cleaning solutions for ones that are plant-based, non toxic and biological from Clean Living. Priced from £6.99, the products come in refillable containers.

DITCH PLASTIC PACKAGING Make buying loose fruit and veg at the supermarket easier with these reusable drawstring bags from Lakeland. Each pack costs £6.99 and contains three different-sized bags.

USE SUSTAINABLE FOOD COVERINGS Say goodbye to plastic clingfilm when it comes to storing leftovers in your fridge. These Marley’s Monsters bowl covers cost £28.95 for a pack of three from Live In The Light

7. BUY SECONDHAND FURNITURE be long gone, but there are still some bargains to be had – see page 84 for our tips on finding an item you’ll love.

But did you know there’s growing demand for bigger secondhand items such as kitchens, too? You might need a carpenter to adapt some of the units to fit your space, as homeowner Caroline Briggs did when she bought an original Victorian kitchen for her new extension (see page 24 for the finished results), but there are still considerable financial savings (and eco gains) to be had. Companies like The Used Kitchen Company offer a range of ex-display and secondhand kitchens, including from high-end designer kitchen showrooms, for a fraction of their original price (typically 50-70 per cent off the RRP). Other websites to try include preownedkitchens.co.uk and usedkitchenhub.com.

The recent lockdown has seen a surge in interest for upcycling, with homeowners looking to keep themselves occupied with new projects. It’s easy to see the appeal; not only are you reducing your need to buy new items of furniture by repurposing ones you might already have, but you’re also creating something unique in the process. Search for ‘upcycling’ on realhomes.com for great upcycling projects you can try this weekend.

Whether you’re looking for your next upcycling project or are simply on the hunt for some secondhand pieces, sites such as Ebay, Gumtree and local online marketplaces can be a great way to pick up inexpensive but good-quality items. The days of finding beloved classics such as an Ercol Loveseat on the cheap may

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9. INVEST IN RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES

Replace your boiler It might not seem like the most exciting topic, but once you realise upgrading your boiler could save you £££s, as well as being better for the environment, it becomes a whole lot more interesting. If your boiler was installed before 2005, chances are it’s about 25 per cent less efficient than a newer model would be, according to the heating experts at Baxi.

Replacing a gas boiler that’s more than 15 years old in a detached house with a more efficient model could shave up to £315 a year off your bills, says the Energy Saving Trust.

‘The average boiler lasts between 12 and 15 years,’ says Vic Billings, marketing director at Worcester Bosch. ‘Although some boilers could potentially last longer if you have a good-quality model and keep it regularly serviced.’

Vic suggests asking yourself the following three questions to work out whether it’s time to upgrade: 1 Do you have an old, noncondensing boiler? (Look for a permanent pilot light) 2 Has your boiler started to break down or need more maintenance?

3 Does it feel like your home is harder to heat up or not as warm as it used to be?

If you answer ‘yes’ to all three, it’s time to upgrade. A standard gas boiler replacement with thermostatic radiator valves will typically cost about £2,300. If you save £315 a year off your bills, it’ll pay for itself in seven years.

A new boiler could add up to £8,000 to the value of your house if you come to sell, according to a GoCompare survey. You could also consider upgrading your hot water cylinder – modern ones are factory insulated so your water stays at the right temperature for longer. Even adding an insulated jacket to your current tank (about £18) could save you £20 per year.

DID YOU KNOW? According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average UK household wastes £35 a year leaving appliances on standby

While going completely off grid and harvesting all of your home’s energy needs from natural resources such as the sun and wind isn’t an option for the majority of UK homeowners, investing in some form of renewable technology and combining it with more traditional methods of heating and power is very much a possibility to help reduce our carbon footprint. A popular renewable energy source for many is solar energy, for which there are two main options: photovoltaic (PV) panels which convert the sun’s energy into electricity to be used in your home, and solar thermal systems which use the sun to heat air or water. As a general guide, the Energy Saving Trust advises that for PV panels a roof area of 10m2 to 20m2 would be enough to deliver between 20 and 45 per cent of the typical household’s electricity needs. The roof space will ideally face south, be unshaded, and at a pitch of about 30 or 40 degrees. In terms of costs, the Solar Trade Association advises the average cost for a PV system is around £5,000, while a solar thermal system is around £4,200. Including solar panels when you’re converting a loft or extending can be a sensible solution.

Other options include drawing energy from the ground and air. A ground source heat pump involves burying large lengths of pipes deep below ground to extract heat from there, meaning this option is only likely to be an option if you have a large garden.

Air source heat pumps are a more viable option for most homes and work by taking heat from the air outside your home and using it to heat your house and water. You will need space outside your home to place the unit, and you’ll need to bear in mind that they typically generate lower temperatures than a gas boiler would, so your radiators won’t feel as hot to the touch as usual. For this reason, air source heat pumps can be more effective when combined with underfloor heating as this operates at lower temperatures than radiators.

10. Opt for eco appliances The traffic light energy-efficiency rating labels we’re all hopefully now so familiar with on new appliances is an obvious place to start when it comes to choosing eco-friendly appliances for our homes. With ratings going from a dark green colour (A+++) for the most efficient products to red as the least efficient, you should look at these carefully when choosing your new appliance. Labels also show the annual energy consumption for the product in kWh, with many retailers (such as John Lewis & Partners) also providing information on the average annual running costs, making it even easier to compare the efficiency of different designs.

As appliances become increasingly ‘smarter’ with the option of controlling them remotely via phone apps, they’re also able to offer added features to make life easier, and potentially save us money in the long run. While features such as door sensors that send alerts to your phone to let

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you know the fridge or freezer door has been left open (no wasted food or energy), or even built-in cameras so you can remotely check on the contents of your fridge and not buy extra food unnecessarily (as featured on the Samsung Family Hub), aren’t standard on all kitchen appliances, expect them to become more commonplace as homeowners increasingly embrace smart technology.

‘We expect a continuous drive for more energy and waterefficient products that are also quieter than ever,’ says Mark Elmore, VP design and brand, Fisher & Paykel. ‘Our newest fridgefreezers incorporate ActiveSmart™, which is a control system that anticipates future use by sensing environmental conditions and understanding how you use your fridge. This means it can analyse and adjust the temperature, airflow and humidity accordingly to deliver optimal results throughout your fridge and freezer.’

ECO ENERGY Want to make the switch to a green energy supplier? Search for ‘green energy’ at realhomes.com for the best suppliers and latest tariffs

Second time around Looking for that perfect piece of furniture? take the

preloved route and breathe new life into old while boosting your home’s eco credentials, says Jennifer Morgan

WORDS JENNIFER MORGAN IMAGES GETTY

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ou’ll need dedication, imagination, research, a love of travel, great negotiating skills and be willing to take risks… we’re not describing a job for an exciting new start-up but buying and restoring – or upcycling – secondhand or preloved pieces of furniture.

As upcycler Angel Whitney of Vintage Home Living (vintagehomeliving.com) explains; ‘I find it so exciting to locate a piece of furniture that has seen better days, knowing I can repair and refinish it into something useful and beautiful.

It’s incredibly satisfying to breathe life back into something for a new owner.’

During lockdown, sales of paint soared, with many professional upcyclers and members of The House of Upcycling (thehouseofupcycling. com), reporting a surge in their online workshops while selling almost every tin of paint held in stock in their shops.

Even before we stayed home, Pinterest reported ‘thrifted home décor’ was up 308 per cent year on year.

But how do you spot a bargain, whether looking on sites such as Ebay or Gumtree, trawling your local charity shop, or getting up at the crack of dawn for a boot sale rummage? Selfconfessed DIY and upcycling lover Becca Charles (@becshomestyle), says, ‘I’ve bought so many things that I didn’t really need and ended up reselling them. A good bargain is one you have a home for and is in good condition, like the pine wardrobe I found on Gumtree for £150.’

‘It’s also about potential and whether you have the necessary skills,’ adds Amy Pitura Riley of mother-anddaughter duo Dolly Did It (dollydidit. co.uk). ‘We always do lots of research and think about how we can upcycle

something, but recently we bought a Victorian chest of drawers with a broken leg, which required more work than we had originally thought, so we ended up relisting it.’

Interior designer Amy Jones (greta-mae.co.uk), always looks for quality in a piece of furniture, often overlooking any fabric used for a well-made frame that can be reupholstered. ‘But sometimes I work on instinct too, and just know when it’s the perfect piece. I do try and look for provenance and make sure it’s a genuine vintage piece rather than reproduction.’ Amy has built up trust with suppliers, and loves Vinterior (vinterior.co), an online marketplace for vintage and antique furniture.

‘No-one wants their home to be a copy of someone else’s,’ agrees Emma Morton Turner, stylist and founder of Inside Stylists (insidestylists.com). ‘We want to be unique, for there to be a real wow-factor to our homes, but most of all, we want our homes to reflect who we are.’ For Emma, it’s all about the boot sale. ‘I’m lucky as I live 15 minutes away from loads of farms, so I have a good choice of boot sales to treasure from.

I’ve even found one on hardstanding which is open in winter – it’s freezing cold and dark but it’s where the vans from house clearances go. And trust me, they are the best for vintage finds, from Christmas decorations to those one-off pieces of furniture. It’s the thrill of the chase that makes it so fun.’

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‘Yes, my local charity shops have definitely got more expensive,’ says Becca. ‘But there are always things being donated – although these are usually smaller items, unless it’s a furniture charity centre.’ When Becca looks online, she has a set of search terms after researching into how people advertise their items and what words they use. ‘For my pine wardrobe I searched “pine furniture”, “old pine”, “vintage pine”, “wardrobe”, “furniture”, “wood wardrobe”, “vintage furniture”.

Doing this inevitably finds lots of other things, which is dangerous! I also search daily and look on Ebay and Gumtree at different times of the day for new listings. I search within a 20 to 25-mile radius so it’s not too far in terms of time or petrol or if it isn’t in the condition or size described when I get there.’

All of our second-hand fans love buying something that they’ve potentially saved from landfill. ‘My best landfill piece was a vintage radio that was wet right through,’ says Amy. ‘I dried it out and it still works. Buying second-hand is the ultimate in green living and I think we should all be looking at ways to be more sustainable in our designs and our homes, but you have to shop wisely too. If you are buying a chair, then check it’s going to be comfortable and that there aren’t any loose springs, while if it’s a piece of wooden furniture, look for no live woodworm and see that the joints are secure and solid so it doesn’t fall apart.’

‘Most of the furniture in my home has been bought second-hand and upcycled,’ says Georgina. ‘Knowing I’ve saved something from landfill is one of the main drivers for me.

While I feel good saving items, it also makes me think twice before buying something new. If it isn’t quite right, then I think how I can make it right myself. For instance, I really wanted a chaise longue and the only one I could afford was the wrong colour, so I reupholstered it (the first thing

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I’d ever reupholstered) and now it looks perfect in my home.’

‘As interiors follows the fashion world, there does seem to have been a move towards throw-away furniture over the past 15 to 20 years,’ says Emma, ‘which is such a waste.

Furniture used to be bought to last a lifetime – now it’s replaced in a matter of years, which is totally unnecessary. There’s a reason there’s so much Mid-century furniture about and that’s because it was built to last.

If you’re looking to change things, then there are charities desperate for furniture, such as Furnishing Futures (@furnishingfutures), which was set up by Emily Wheeler to provide furniture for those families that are in need.’

While Emma is a big fan of upcycling furniture for her own home (14 pieces and counting…), using Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint (anniesloan.com) to create gorgeous layered paint effects, she also believes that it has to be right for your home: ‘If your style is more modern and minimalist and you’re just going along with the upcycling trend you’ll end up hating that piece and throwing it out eventually. Buy what makes your heart flutter; you should walk into a room and love everything about it.’

‘Sustainability – rightly – is currently very in vogue and creating eco chic interiors can begin with something as simple as being more creative and individual about how you dress your home,’ says Chris Billinghurst, founder of The House of Upcycling. ‘Why fill it with generic designs for a copy-cat high-street look when you can have beautiful vintage, upcycled, hand-crafted pieces with an eco-message that is as individual as you are?

‘There was a time when people didn’t want to admit that they bought second-hand – whether fashion or furniture,’ says Becca. ‘But now, like me, they are proud of it.’

FOR MORE VINTAGE UPCYCLING INSPIRATION, GO TO REALHOMES.COM/DESIGN

‘For me, a good charity shop or boot sale bargain is something that’s random,’ says presenter and author Georgina Burnett, aka The Home Genie (georginaburnett.com), who can be seen upcycling alongside Holly and Phil on ITV’s This Morning.

‘I look for something quirky, unusual, a conversation starter or that I could upcycle into something unique.’ During the recent lockdown, Georgina – like many of us – had a clear out herself, but because charity shops were closed, she left pieces outside her house with a note saying people could take them. ‘Every item went,’ she shares, ‘after all “one person’s trash is another’s treasure”.’

‘If I’m buying pieces to sell,’ says Angel, ‘then I’m generally open-minded as I might find something that takes me down a creative path I would not have considered. I am often asked to look out for particular pieces for clients and my go-to sources are Ebay and Facebook Marketplace. You can enter specific search requirements, which can be saved and alert you to new items that match as they are posted.

You have to be patient though as it can be months before items that you’re looking for are listed, but it does mean you can negotiate early and put in an offer straightaway.’

‘Search for interesting shapes, keeping in mind what you want the finished piece to look like if you are going to upcycle it,’ says Sue Gifford (suegifforddesign.com). ‘Look at the size and condition very carefully and if you have the skills needed to restore and upcycle it successfully. Ask lots of questions when buying online.

If buying in person, then examine thoroughly for any signs of damage or infestation and don’t be afraid to turn pieces upside down or move them around so you know you won’t be in for any surprises later.’

‘Sellers have definitely become more savvy,’ adds Tessa Doyle of Lollipop Interiors (lollipopinteriors. co.uk). ‘With the growth in popularity of professional upcycling and furniture refinishing, the public is beginning to see there is value in older furniture.

The price I pay for a sideboard is now eight to 10 times more than I would have paid for the same item five years ago.’

Garden redesign

MODERN BOHEMIAN Lauren Lewis and boyfriend Adam transformed an unloved garden into a beautiful social space that’s now perfect for relaxing and entertaining

WORDS AND STYLING MAXINE BRADY PHOTOGRAPHS FIONA WALKER-ARNOTT

ON

moving into their new home, Lauren Lewis and her boyfriend, Adam, had big plans for their outdoor plot. ‘We loved the size of the space,’ Lauren says. ‘We wanted to make the most of the area so we could enjoy it through the summer.’ Their large, north-facing garden had been halfheartedly tackled by the previous owners, then left to overgrow. At one end there was raised concrete platform with a shed, and the fences to one side were rotten. ‘We had to strip it all out and start again,’ says Lauren.

Tackling the house first gave the couple time to think about their outdoor space. ‘We knew we wanted to create a modern bohemian vibe with lots of greenery – and, to finish off, a large entertaining area,’ says Lauren.

The couple hired a local landscaping company to clear the old fencing and a crumbling dividing wall that ran along one side of the garden. ‘We used the dismantled brick wall as hardcore for the back section of the garden to create two distinct levels,’ Lauren says. ‘We also had trenches dug for the wall planters and added steps in between.’

It was up to Lauren and Adam to fill the space with colour and life.

Now they’ve finished, next on the list is to add more climbing plants to soften the borders. ‘We’ve not had much of a chance to enjoy our garden properly yet – we’ve been too busy finishing it off,’ Lauren says. ‘We have plans to host a barbecue party soon.’ One family member who is extremely happy with the result is the couple’s cat, Penelope.

‘I think Penelope loves this garden more than us,’ Lauren adds. ‘She plays in the grasses and hides under the bushes where she can watch the birds and butterflies in peace.’

BEFORE

PLANNING THE LAYOUT ‘A month in, it was our turn to take over from the landscapers,’ says Lauren. ‘We dug out trench lines for the sleepers and laid them to create flower beds along either side of the garden. The landscapers bought several tons of mud to level out the lawn area and we laid new grass. For the first two months we watered the grass morning and night because of the hot weather. We had a strict schedule in place so that the grass wouldn’t get scorched.

Our water bill went through the roof!’ On one side, the couple created an L-shaped planter with the sleepers. ‘We didn’t want one big rectangle of lawn, so to add a little more depth to the area we added that extra planting,’ says Lauren. ‘It helps create a sense of fluidity up to the patio area.’

The old rotten fencing was cleared to make way for new panels and a shed. To tackle the sloped plot, the entire back area was levelled to create a large raised patio with room for sofas and a dining table and chairs. ‘Comfortable outdoor seating was key to the design of the space,’ says Lauren. ‘In the future, we’d love a projector and some patio heaters to enjoy the garden in the late summer evenings.’ To keep it cosy, Lauren has lots of textured cushions and throws in warm, neutral tones. ‘In the evenings, when it cools down, we light our fire pit to keep warm and toast some marshmallows on it. The solar lights above give a soft glow as the evening light fades.’

Profile THE OWNERs Lauren Lewis (@laurenlewisliving_), a fashion textile designer and co-founder of Rust Creative Studio, her boyfriend, Adam, and their cat, Penelope THE property A four-bedroom 1940s terrace in Lancing, West Sussex project COST £7,350

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REALHOMES.COM

COSY VIBES

STYLISH SURFACE

Costs & contacts Patio £3,000 Labour £2,000 Furniture £1,000 Shed £750 Planting £600 Total project cost £7,350 Shed Skinners Sheds, 01424 716716, skinners-sheds.com Paving Gardner & Scardifield, 01903 768416, gardnerandscardifield.co.uk

Lauren decided on Indian sandstone to pave the entertaining area because she loves the ribbons of natural colours that run through the stone. ‘We finished it off with a special sealant coat to avoid red wine spillages,’ she says.

As the paving weathers, it will show up an assortment of textures and tones, perfect for Lauren’s bohemian-style space.

The walled planters were rendered and painted white, while some of the fencing and the new shed were painted a deep grey.

BEFORE

IMAGE GETTY (STAR JASMINE)

The plant edit

Phormium ‘Sundowner’ ‘This plant adds a tropical feel to my garden, and looks great against any dark coloured fencing.’

Buxus topiary ball ‘This tree creates a luxurious feel. I prune leaves frequently to keep the round shape.’

Star jasmine ‘Star jasmine is such an easycare evergreen climber. It’s ideal for covering fences and it has a very sweet scent in summer.’

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Lavender ‘This is a great border plant with a gorgeous scent that attracts the wildlife – and my cat loves it too.’

Hebe ‘Jewel of the Nile’ ‘We wanted a year-round evergreen shrub that changes colour with the seasons, and the hebe is a great filler in the garden.’

PARTY READY

PICKING PLANTING

The couple’s recently established lawn is complemented by flowering palms and grasses in the garden borders, sourced from a local garden centre.

‘We planted a mix of palms to fill the planters, mixed with grasses to help soften the overall look of the garden,’ says Lauren. She admits that choosing the plants wasn’t an easy task.

‘It was a matter of trial and error,’ she says. ‘I bought plants not really knowing if they would work in the space. Some of the plants have established really well and others not so much.

It’s definitely been a learning curve.’

SHOPPING LIST Shed, Skinners Sheds, painted in Urban Grey, Protek Woodstain. Paving stones and sleepers, Gardner & Scardifield.

Firepit, VonHaus. Table and bench, La Redoute.

Dining chairs, B&Q. Outdoor sofas and deckchairs, Aldi. Fairy lights, Lights 4 Fun. Bamboo tables, Ikea.

Cushions, throws and tabletop accessories, H&M Home. Rugs, Urban Outfitters

REALHOMES.COM

Shopping around, the couple picked up bargain furniture for their garden.

They invested in a generous dining table and chairs, as well as a sofa for the living space from a local supermarket. They wanted enough seating to host friends and create an area to relax in the evenings.

The resulting space is a sizable entertaining area overlooking the green section of the garden.

There’s still work to do, though. ‘We want to add solar lights to our planters to show off the tropical Phormium plants into the evening and create a party atmosphere,’ Lauren adds.

Extendable drop festoon lights, £75

Drip glazed table lamp, £75

Moro corner set, £1,250 Oversized rattan planter, £150 Indoor/outdoor grey beanbag, £200

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Standing water feature, £125

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project of the mo nt

Striking gold

Oh, hello – we’re liking the look of this extension project! Built to remedy a dark and dingy kitchen, and to replace a rotting lean-to, this addition floods the new space with light thanks to a combination of rooflights and well-placed windows – including a rear door that swings open to the garden.

We love the way the angle of the roof mirrors the shape of the existing property, creating a pretty kind of symmetry. Oh, and there’s the small matter of the glorious gold and copper cladding, of course. Who’d have thought that such a bold metallic finish could look so good against an ordinary Victorian terrace?

We’re giving this project a gold star for innovation.

Project cost: £95,000. TECU Gold cladding, KME, supplied

by Rimi Renovations. Glazing, Associated Glass. James Dale Architects, 020 7438 2061, jamesdalearchitects.com

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KITCHEN EXTENSION

DIARY

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS LIND DA CLAYTON

Ever wondered if it’s possible to project manage a massive kitchen extension and remain sane? Interiors journalist Linda Clayton is finding out the hard way…

Bar stool shopping, so soon? Surely such fripperies come under the heading of ‘accessories’ and, as such, are a joyful after-purchase alongside herb planters and #shelfie fodder? Experience has taught me the error(s) of not taking bar stools seriously, until too late. In our previous kitchen, I went through no less than three bar stool designs and a near divorce before I got it right. And even then, the final models had to be modified, by unscrewing and binning the backs so we could get out of them without dislocating our spines (they were too heavy to pull out). This time, I was determined to put buying bar stools right up there with choosing a hair stylist or husband on the important life decisions front.

Crucially, the stools had to be chosen before, or in tandem with, the dimensions of our breakfast bar. Sounds obvious, but if you don’t there’s a strong chance the stools you’ve set your heart on won’t fit.

And don’t think you can do this using standard planning guides. The first rule of bar stool plotting is that positioning is personal, as is the width of stool that will comfortably fit your derriere. The ‘experts’ suggest a gap of 15cm between stools, but that’s way too cosy for my liking. Especially given my hatred of noisy eaters…or jjustt eaters. t s IIf you’re ’ similarly i l l intolerant, allow w at a least 30cm between stools, more if you’ve y married a mouth-breather. I also prefer stools with wide seats b because I ttend d tto sit it with ith one ffoott tucked underneath me. Maybe I was a stork in a former life??

The second rule of Stool Club (sorry) focuses on depth. Both the depth of the stool seat and depth of leg room. If you’ve ever had to sit side-saddle at a breakfast bar, you’ll have felt my pain (usually in the lower lumbar region). For ultimate comfort, we’ve decided to sacrifice some storage in our island for a tall table scenario at one end. Fancy. Not only will we get to see more of our million-pound oak flooring but I’ll not have to listen to the girls kicking (and scuffing) my precious cabinetry during breakfast. Win-win.

If I didn’t have grubby kids, Thus, the four stools around I might go for these Noa this ‘table’ could be as deep luxury velvet bar stools, as we liked (45-50cm is ideal) £189, Cult Furniture with backs. Being greedy, I w wanted a further three-tow four stools along the length of the island, where guests can perch when I’m cooking (living the dream). When not These Ikea stools in in use, these backless stools our current temporary The reality will be more can be pushed under the bar. kitchen are too close Depth requirement = 42cm like this wipe-clean together and near max. (Nb. Stool height Spindle stool, £230, impossible to get on depends on your worktop from Garden Trading height, we’re going for 65cm tall for ample thigh girth between seat and worktop).

Only once these dimensions had been cleared with planning (i.e. husband Nick), did I get to shop looks.

My dream stools are buttockcushioningly comfortable, easy to clean and, timeless. Forget fashion-forward finishes and shapes. Once this kitchen is done, I never want to think about stools (of any kind) ever again.

I’m setting the bar high when buying stools

The inspiration behind our is island table/stool arrangement, courtesy of Roundhouse

For more advice, follow me on Instagram @lindaclaytonwrites

NEXT MO N ONTH: unhinged about hardware nd other internal construction choices) 95 5

Water Lily tile in orange, £65 per m2, The Baked Tile Co

THE AUGUST

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Statement tiles Invest in these attentiongrabbing tiles for a splashback that’ll bring you joy for years to come

AND ESSENTIA S D EN TR S, EA ID ST TE LA THE

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Plume mosaic tile in flamingo, £35 per sheet, Ca’Pietra

Green Pesadilla tile, £7.20 per tile, Bert & May

100% recycled

FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

ECO CHOICE

COLOUR SPLASH Want to go bold in the bathroom but you’re short on space? This barely-there shower enclosure is part of Crosswater’s new collection, and we’re loving how it sits back and lets this shower room’s striking décor take centre stage. The new collection includes sliding, hinged, pivot, quadrant and walk-in designs, for the perfect style to suit your scheme. Walk-in easy access shower, £565, the deflector panel is £249, and side panels start from £260, Crosswater

#SOREALHOMES

Made with sustainability at heart, every kitchen door in the new Renzo collection from Daval (below) is made from 100 per cent recycled wood, is engineered in Britain and made only to order. And with five finishes to choose from, varying from the Charred Japanese wood shown here, to the softer Arston white grey for a lighter scheme, there’s something to suit every palette. From £12,000, Daval.

WATER SAVING

Use less water Want to do your bit for the planet, but also really love a powerful and relaxing shower? With the latest technology from Kohler, you can do both! The air induction system makes each shower droplet feel bigger, so your shower experience is just as good, with less water used.

Plus, it’s available in both a contemporary and traditional style, perfect for any type of bathroom. Katalyst shower, from £342, Kohler

ENERGY SAVING

HOTTING UP This new towel warmer from Vogue has a very low water content, which requires less water to heat your bathroom and enables it to respond to temperature changes quicker, preventing waste. It’s also light enough to be used on stud walls, giving you more freedom when designing your space. Astute CN096 towel warmer, £318 for the white/£327.60 for the anthracite, Vogue

Mullan Beck pendant light, £221.76, Made to Last

MINI TREND ALERT

Fluted glass Elegant, stylish and very in demand, bring a new dimension to your space with the latest texture to hit the top spot on our style lust list.

Hunton kitchen in Putty with Dekton Kira matt work surface, from £12,000, Second Nature

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Carter black metal and reinforced glass shelving unit, £198, Maisons du Monde

WORDS SALLY MATON PHOTOGRAPHS BRUCE HEMMING

Mike and Sasha Martin extended their Victorian property to create a large and modern family space

The walls to a warren of small poky rooms were removed and an extension added along the side of the house. Even though the space is north-facing, the glass panels and bi-fold doors let in plenty of light. The ceiling extractor is remote controlled and has adjustable downlights.

For a similar extractor, try Miele. For a similar light, try the Unfold pendant, Holloways of Ludlow. For vintage scales, try Etsy

Profile The owners Mike Martin, a film director, and wife Sasha, a PR executive, live with their children, Beatrice, 15, Nell, 13, and Henry, 12 The property A five-bedroom late-Victorian semi in Cranbrook, Kent

For a similar wallmounted light try the Conran Shop.

For similar chairs, try the Wingback Angel armchairs

by Sloane & Sons Far left The window seat is a favourite place to sit with a coffee and catch the morning sun.

#SOREALHOMES

For bench seat cushions, try Bean Bag Bazaar

FOR MORE EXTENSION IDEAS, VISIT REALHOMES.COM/EXTENSIONS

Left Contemporarystyle glazing links the older part of the house to the new extension. The red chairs have been in the family for years.

project cost ÂŁ110,000

The large island features a task area on one side and a breakfast bar on the other.

The red metal stacking school stools were a junk shop find. The whole floor has underfloor heating

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Left The doors fold right back against the building, so garden and seating area become one large interactive space.

The grey render and zinc roof were inspired by the Hastings Contemporary gallery.

The box window opens out with a scissor hinge.

For similar greyframed bi-fold doors, try Shueco

BEFORE

Step one

Step two

Mike

and Sasha’s search for the perfect family home brought them to the pretty Kentish town of Cranbrook, and the imposing Victorian semi they now call their own. The couple were keen to balance out the floors, reversing the ‘top heavy’ feel of the house and adding a modern kitchen extension.

Mixing minimalist design, clever glazing and antique bargains, they created an open-plan kitchen that’s perfect for relaxed dining and summer parties. Mike reveals how his directing expertise helped him get hands-on in the design process…

Bright idea

Enlisting help

‘The layout of the original kitchen was very traditional. In the past, it had been used mainly by the domestic staff. Clearly, it wasn’t going to work for a modern family in the 21st century!

The obvious answer was to add a side extension, take down the external walls and open and rationalise the space. The back of the house is northfacing and was quite dark, so we decided to use structural glass to bring in the maximum amount of light.

‘Our initial ideas sprung from seeing the Hastings Contemporary gallery. We liked the dark-tiled exterior and use of materials and how it worked with the traditional buildings around it.’

‘We turned to our family friend and architect Richard Gill, whose practice is based in Cranbrook. He suggested creating a glass link between the existing house and the new building, but that turned out to be difficult to construct within our budget. We initially wanted it to all be structural glass, but the cost was prohibitive and the build was then delayed while we searched for a cheaper solution.

Eventually, we opted for solid walls, with a glazed section to make the best use of the early morning light.’

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Contacts

A mishmash of vintage chairs and a wooden dining table fit perfectly into the theme. Behind the island is a floorto-ceiling bank of cupboards that offer masses of storage

Architect Richard Gill, 01580 720252, richardgillarchitects.co.uk Builder Bodiam Builders 07584 310728 Render The Coloured Render Company, 0845 319 4852, plasterer.co.uk; JUB, jub.eu Kitchen Mereway, 0121 706 7844, mereway.co.uk Glazing Paben Windows, 01622 833353, pabenwindows.co.uk; Country Vision, 01322 275110, countryvision.co.uk

For similar Windsor dining chairs, try Ercol. For red metal chairs, try Habitat

Right A stainlesssteel tap and undermounted sink sit neatly in the corner of the island.

Step four

Step five

Light work

Cooking up a kitchen

Finishing up

‘Having experience of lighting sets for work, I designed the lighting plan and chose as much non-directional lighting as possible. In the evening this gives the room a great soft glow.

‘We added bi-fold doors at the rear of the extension for access to the patio and outdoor dining area, and a large box window in the side wall, which provides light and has a window seat, too. It has a scissoraction opening mechanism that allows the glazed panel to be extended outwards for ventilation. We were so pleased with the final result – it’s a great place to sit and read.’

‘I designed the kitchen with Richard, doing as much as the work myself as possible to eke out the money as best I could. The space is entirely open with a single pillar supporting the upper floors. It rises out of the central island, which is our main food prep area, as well as where we house the oven, hob, sink and dishwasher.

‘We built a breakfast bar and storage into the opposite side of the work zone. For a streamlined finish, we used touch catches on all the doors, and instead of having laundry appliances on show in the kitchen, we’ve retained the original scullery as a laundry room and a cloakroom.’

‘The project was challenging at times, partly because of delays caused by a tight budget, and partly because of my inability to let quality slip to get things done on time! To add to the pressure, Sasha insisted that she’d celebrate by having a Christmas party – for the last three years, we’d been reluctant to invite anyone round to our house because of all the mess. Our kitchen worktops were installed on Christmas Eve. It was a nightmare at times, but we kept our sense of humour – and we’re delighted with the result.’

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REALHOMES.COM

Step three

For a similar tap and sink, try Franke

SPOTLIGHT ON

BLANK CANVAS Wooden kitchens are a simple blank canvas from which you can experiment with your décor. Here the pink walls and floors add a feminine touch, while the metal finishes bring a modern industrial feel. Winchester Acacia kitchen, from £2,385 for eight units, Magnet

Five things...

BACK TO NATURE For ultimate calm, bring the feeling of the outdoors inside by mixing exposed wooden and soft green cabinets. Use the same exposed wood finish for your worktop to maintain a cohesive scheme. Otto Kitchen in rose walnut and bespoke Farrow & Ball Arsenic, from £7,500, Burbidge

WORK OF ART If you don’t want an entirely wooden kitchen, bring in some warmth by displaying a few wooden wall cabinets and keeping a block colour for the rest of your furniture. Coldharbour Grey and Market Mustard laminate with London Plane kitchen, from £10,000, Pluck

you need to know before choosing your wooden kitchen, for a space that’s as attractive and calming as it is practical

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Five

‘As a natural material, the tone and pattern of wooden cabinets may vary from the samples you first saw. You should allow for this when planning your scheme,’ says Leila Touwen, co-founder of Pluck Kitchens. ‘Also the colour may change subtly over time.’ Celebrate these differences as they’ll make your kitchen unique.

When choosing coloured and wooden cabinets, opt for corresponding undertones. For instance, walnut has a warm undertone and birch a cool.

Complement with coloured units in the same undertone.

‘Choose a muted tone of a bolder shade to ensure the wood retains prominence,’ adds Ben Burbidge, MD at Kitchen Makers.

Before you buy, check that your wood is FSC certified, to ensure your kitchen is environmentally friendly.

FSC certifies forests all over the world to check that they meet the highest environmental and social standards. Wood and paper products marked with the ‘tick tree’ logo will have been made without harming the world’s forests.

What about water splashes? ‘Oak veneer, like any timber, typically has a lacquer for increased durability. Repeated or sustained exposure to water would result in issues such as expanding or warping, but everyday spills and splashes are unlikely to cause too much damage,’ says Ben Burbidge.

Exposed wooden cabinets look great, but if you change your mind they become a blank canvas for you to strip back and paint any colour you like. This versatility gives your kitchen a longer shelf life, making it more eco friendly and cost effective. See how to paint units at realhomes. com/design/how-to-paintkitchen-cabinets.

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#SOREALHOMES

FEATURE AMELIA SMITH PHOTOGRAPH MALCOLM MENZIES, INTERIOR DESIGN DAVIES-HOBBS DESIGNS (PLUCK)

Embrace natural textures and neutral tones for a kitchen that’s calming, easy to live with and bang on trend

FOR MORE STYLISH KITCHEN INSPIRATION, GO TO REALHOMES.CO OM/KI K TCHEN C N

wooden kitchens

ISLAND LIFE Wooden islands are perfect for an open-plan layout. Less ‘kitchen-y’, they can mimic furniture used in your dining or living areas, drawing the whole scheme together. Zone your space with coloured cabinets where you’ll be cooking, and wooden cabinets where you sit down to relax. Lastra Fjord and grey grained oak kitchen, from £3,900, LochAnna Kitchens

PARED-BACK LIVING This simplistic design is right on trend at the moment, with pale wood, inset handles and light finishes creating a minimalist, fuss-free kitchen, and one that’s good for the environment, too. Contemporary eco kitchen, from £25,000, Sustainable Kitchens

GO WITH THE GRAIN Bold graining brings a rustic touch to a modern space. The vertical detail on these tall cabinets pulls the eye upwards for a feeling of height.

Matching chunky open shelving adds character. Bespoke kitchen in birch ply and European walnut with white lacquer, from £30,000, En Masse

MODERN SHAKER A wooden Shaker kitchen is a timeless classic, but give it a modern edge with black finishes, a marble worktop, vibrant wallpaper and simple open shelving. Ditching wall units opens up the space and let’s you display your personality. Exposed oak Shaker kitchen, doors from £152.40, Naked Doors

Goodhome Algiata terazzo stone-effect laminate worktop, £88 for 2m, B&Q We’ve got a kitchens hub on realhomes.com, filled with design advice, trend ds and ideas to make yourr heart of the home the welcoming space it shou uld be. Check it out!

Have you seen...

Heather bar stool in coral velvet, £119, Cult Furniture

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Classic fusion square boiling water tap in patina brass, from £1,790, Quooker

Toulon pendant light in Lulworth Blue, £85, Garden Trading

IMAGE AMAZING PRODUCTIONS, GEORGE CLARKE’S OLD HOUSE, NEW HOME (NAKED DOORS)

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A GUIDE TO

Rooflights

If you’re extending or converting, a rooflight or lantern brings in light, fresh air and creates a striking structural detail. We look at what’s best for your project

T

here is beauty in a glass ceiling.

A rooflight can bring in light – up to three times as much as a normal window because of its skyfacing orientation. And then there’s the view; of blue skies and gusting clouds, the dapples of leaves from nearby trees, the white confetti of snow, and the unusual angle of your house.

There are many styles of rooflights, lanterns and windows and many reasons to have one...or two or three.

If you’re looking to the loft to get extra space, a conversion will usually require one or more windows in the roof to bring daylight and ventilation into your new room or suite. In large extensions, a well-placed rooflight can ensure there’s no risk of it feeling dark in the heart of the home, bringing light to every part of your room.

When it comes to lighting awkward spaces, a rooflight can overcome it in stunning style. It can send sunlight pouring down into a stairwell if there’s no window in the wall next to it or if it’s in the centre of the home. A modern

PEACE When rain falls on an upward-facing rooflight, you can ensure your sleep, TV watching or quiet study isn’t disturbed by it with a Velux Integra electric/solar rain noise reduction roof window. Its special three-layers-thick glazing quietens the sound. It also provides high levels of insulation for warmth in winter. It is compatible with Velux Active smart home technology, so windows can be operated via a smart phone or Google Assistant.

Prices start from £448, Sterling Build

WORDS ALISON JONES

SIZE MATTERS Want a big impact? The Korniche aluminium roof lantern system will make one.

Its award-winning modular design for rectangular or square lanterns can go as large 6x4m.

Crafted with traditional timber lines and built from modern materials, they are designed to create the strongest and stiffest roof lantern possible – a 6x4m roof lantern can support more than eight tonnes – with minimal structure to obscure your view.

The lanterns are made bespoke so price is on application.

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AND QUIET

frameless rooflight can add instant drama and create an almost limitless feeling of height, too.

If you’ve turned the roof of your extension into a terrace or have a basement extending out into the garden, a walk-on rooflight made from toughened laminated glass (up to five times stronger than conventional glass) is a thrilling way to let the sun shine in.

ENHANCE AN EXTENSION

MAKE A MATCH If you are including rooflights in a ground floor extension, you’ll want something that looks as good from above as it does below. Klöeber’s fixed flat rooflights have a sleek finish inside and out for maximum daylight.

Finished in standard RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey, the aluminium outer frame complements all flat roof finishes, including high performance felt, lead, and zinc. The sealed units can be placed on a separately ordered kerb upstand or a Klöeber insulated kerb upstand.

A rooflight of this size (approx 2500x1000mm) would be £1,190 plus VAT.

On the ground floor level, if you are extending outwards, windows and light can be lost to the space that is now in the middle of the house rather than the end, so installing a rooflight is the perfect way to reintroduce that light and direct it to the centre of the room.

In a flat roof, a raised roof lantern can create a stunning orangery effect.

This architectural element can become the centrepiece of an open-plan space, bringing in both light and heat.

On a flat or pitched roof, rooflights are a smart way to introduce natural lighting above task areas where you are preparing meals or eating, such as worktops, islands or the dining table.

Flat rooflights are usually available on an upstand that raises them slightly above the level of the roof, or, for a sleeker, less obtrusive look, they can be fitted so they appear flat to it.

IDEAL FOR THE LOFT

A flush roof window is the simplest and most cost-effective style for a loft conversion, compared to a dormer window, as long as there is sufficient headspace to walk around comfortably.

They are also a less intrusive addition to the roofline and won’t overlook

SWING SYSTEM Roof windows (left) are perfect for letting light into rooms in the eaves where the ceiling has a characterful slope. This Keylite Polar roof window can be opened easily and safely thanks to its centre pivot, letting fresh air in top and bottom. They can be operated electrically, for windows installed beyond reach, either with a remote control or a wall-mounted switch. The best-selling product in the range is the PCP T04 Polar White PVC roof window with thermal glazing, size 780x980mm, from £261.53 at Keylite.

FOCUS LIGHT neighbouring properties. Because they face upward, they are flexible when it comes to positioning. For instance, fit a roof window above the bath or shower in the en suite and you can gaze at the sun or stars while using them. One that opens will also help to disperse steam.

Roof windows that convert into balconies offer valuable extra space, then return to their flush style when closed. The Velux Cabrio Balcony or the Fakro Balcony Window push out at the bottom to produce side railings with the top half of the window swinging outwards and upwards before locking into position.

Be aware that because this could count as a balcony and overlook another home, you should ask your local authority if you need permission to install such a design.

When working out how many windows to put in a loft conversion, it is a general rule that the glazing should equal at least 10 per cent of the room’s floorspace, but a generous 15 to 20 per cent should ensure there are no dark and gloomy corners.

Installing glazing in an extension roof can draw light where it’s needed – into the centre of a space or onto task areas. Vufold’s most popular seller is a 1x1.5m rooflight with a uPVC thermally efficient core for a U value of just 1.3Wm2K. The aluminium external and internal cappings come in a choice of powder-coated finishes to match your home’s style. Glass picks include low-maintenance solar control options of neutral or tinted blue. The five-degree pitch of its kerb means rain runs off the glass. Made in the UK, the rooflight is priced at £1,059.

MATERIAL CHOICES

Popular materials for rooflights and lanterns include aluminium or steel (frequently required for barn roofs or houses in Conservation Areas), timber (though this can require more maintenance) or a combination of durable aluminium outside and wood

KEEP IN EASY CLEANING Rooflights aren’t easy to access from the outside without a head for heights and safety equipment.

Take the worry out of keeping them sparkling with Pilkington Activ self-cleaning glass. It uses the sunshine and rain to naturally break down organic dirt on your windows or glazing. The dualaction self-cleaning coating reacts to daylight to break down the dirt, which is washed off in sheets by rainwater, leaving your glazing cleaner and streak-free.

Rooflight price on application.

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CHARACTER If your home has a period feel, these roof windows will fit right in. Clement make a range of Conservation rooflights to match tile or slate. Replicas of Victorian originals, they have a flush finish, self-cleaning glass and an A window energy rating from the BFRC (British Fenestration Rating Council). There are eight stock sizes, but they can be made bespoke to suit your project – you just select the size and type of glass you require. They cost from £370 plus VAT.

RAISE inside. For a low-maintenance choice, there is uPVC but it won’t offer the same slim framing as metal.

There are many options for the glazing, including double and triple glazed. It should be toughened or laminated to prevent shattering. Solar control glass can be used to cut down the sun’s glare, reducing heat and the risk of fading furniture. Remote control blinds can also help introduce shade.

Rooflights and lanterns can be non-opening or opening. Ones low enough in the pitched roof of a loft conversion can be operated by hand.

Options for higher glazing include remote control, wall switch or smart control via a mobile or voice assistant.

Sensors can monitor temperature, humidity and CO2 levels, or when it’s raining, automatically opening or closing if the weather takes a turn.

THE ROOF Roof lanterns create an impressive vaulted feeling in a flat roof and give a stylish orangery effect to a garden room or extension.

The EOS roof lantern from Express Bi-folding Doors brings the wow factor at a cost-effective price.

Intelligent engineering in the roof’s design means it offers structural strength while still having a slender aluminium frame. The spar sightlines throughout the roof are only 57mm wide, and the ridge sections are some of the slimmest on the market. From £1,950 fitted, subject to the size of the product.

WHAT ABOUT COSTS?

A simple flat glazed opening rooflight can cost less than £300, not including fitting, which would take around a day.

For a medium-sized timber framed roof lantern, it will cost around £4,000 fully installed. A large bespoke roof lantern, however, could cost many thousands.

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YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

ON POINT Aim for the sun with a pyramid shape. This striking structural piece is high on impact with minimal framing.

IDSystems frameless flat rooflights are made to order and designed so there’s no surround visible from below, maximising the light reaching the room. They can be fixed or opening, operated manually, electronically or automatically via a thermostatic control with a built-in rain sensor. A light like this would be £1,550 excl VAT

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‘Do I need planning permission to install a rooflight?’

‘Planning permission isn’t normally required for installing a roof window,’ says David Mayo, managing director of Sterling Build, ‘as long as certain conditions are met.

These are that the rooflight or lantern must protrude no more than 150mm above the existing roof plane and no alteration can be higher than the highest part of the roof.

Windows in a side elevation roof slope must be obscureglazed (so they can’t overlook the neighbour’s house) and either be non opening or more than 1.7 metres above the floor level for safety. If you live in a Conservation Area or listed building, extra restrictions often apply, so it’s always best to check with your local authority before beginning work.’

A DV E RTOR I A L

Velux top-hung roof windows let in lots of natural light in this loft conversion bedroom.

They are suitable for roof pitches as low as 15˚and they are also suitable for pitches between 55˚ and 75˚ with special springs.

From £354 excluding VAT

GETTING DAYLIGHT RIGHT Planning an extension or loft conversion?

Make sure you maximise natural light with roof windows from Velux

N

atural light is essential to your wellbeing, and the size as well as the number of roof windows is fundamental to how your space will look and feel. When it comes to planning your new loft conversion or extension, it’s worth spending the time planning how you’ll bring in plenty of natural light. For optimal comfort, Velux recommends that the glazed area represents 15-20 per cent of the overall floor area in your room.

You can never have too much daylight in your home. It will always make the space brighter and therefore more pleasant to be in. Using the recommended calculation from Velux, these images (right) highlight the percentage of daylight achieved in each scenario and the effect multiple roof windows can have in a room.

For more information on how you can improve your space, as well as details on all the latest products, call 01592 778225 or visit velux.co.uk

Visit velux.co.uk for lots more hints, tips and inspiration on how to get the daylight right in your next home improvement project

Above Velux top-hung roof windows let lots of natural light in this loft conversion bedroom

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FOCUS ON

Outdoor paving

Create great-looking terraces, paths, cooking and dining areas for your garden with the latest exterior tiles BEST FOR DIY FITTING

BEST FOR CHANGING PROPORTIONS Visually extend your garden by choosing long narrow pavers. Lay them the other way and they could make a space feel wider instead. These are made from concrete designed to look like granite, and have been treated to resist stains such as oil and grease. Bradstone StoneMaster 80x20cm pavers in Light Grey, Mid Grey and Dark Grey, from £59.99 per square metre, Simply Paving

You can save by laying paving yourself, and there are a range of different fitting options to choose from with these tiles.

They have the look of limestone, but they’re made from porcelain to keep maintenance to a minimum, and are hard-wearing and stain resistant. They’re highly slip resistant, too.

Everscape Limestone outdoor 59.5x59.5cm tiles, £40.43 per square metre, Topps Tiles

BEST FOR INDIVIDUAL STYLE Available in patio packs with a mixture of five different sized slabs, or as singles, this paving makes it simple to create a bespoke look to suit your garden. The natural stone slabs are of uniform thickness which makes laying quick and easy. Marshalls Indian Sandstone riven buff multi-paving slab 60x30cm, £39.44 per square metre, Wickes

WORDS SARAH WARWICK

Three TOP TIPS MATERIAL PICK Choose from something manufactured, such as porcelain and concrete, or natural stones like sandstone, granite, limestone or slate. Durable low-maintenance porcelain can resemble stone or wood, while concrete can be a lower cost way to get the look of stone. Real stone is hard-wearing with the individuality of a natural material. Opt for an exterior-specified tile.

Choose paving with the look you love and maintenance demands you’re happy to meet with these guidelines

SURFACE FEEL For a contemporary look, opt for paving with a smooth finish or, if you want greater slip resistance but a uniform appearance, a textured or sandblasted finish. Riven stones have an uneven texture and rustic appearance, suiting older homes and cottage-style gardens. Look at a stone’s edges: straight gives a crisp modern style; irregular are more natural looking.

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CLEAN HABITS To maintain the appearance of your outdoor paving, it’ll need to be kept clear of debris and dirt, especially after the winter and when leaves fall in autumn. Depending on the type, you may be able to clean it with a washing-up liquid solution and stiff broom, a vinegar solution and stiff brush, or a pressure washer, but always follow the supplier’s maintenance instructions.

BEST FOR A WOOD LOOK These tiles appear to be timber but they don’t have the same care needs, and are resistant to algae and moss, as well as to fading, and are easy to keep clean. They can be matched with an indoor version for a continuous floor finish that can make both home and garden feel larger. Flow Smoke 20mm rectified 29.5x120cm porcelain tiles, £54.99 per square metre, Tile Giant

BEST FOR CONTEMPORARY ELEGANCE

Finishing touches Don’t restrict pattern to the inside of your house.

These tiles will let you introduce it outside

Attention grabber Brighten up with a modern take on the Victorian patterned tile.

Brompton Walton Porcelain 20x20cm, £2.60 per tile, Artisans of Devises

Complement a crisp, modern garden design with paving in a pale finish. The nine different patterns of these tiles create the variation found in nature, and they’re fade resistant as well as frost-proof and easy to look after. PorcelPave Athena silver travertineeffect porcelain 60x 60cm tiles, £69.89 per square metre, The London Tile Co

BEST FOR GRANITE EFFECT Get the high-end look of granite paving without the price tag of natural stone.

These tiles just need to be washed down with warm water or a pressure washer to keep them looking their best once laid, so they’re easy to care for.

Choose this colourway, or the black alternative. Granito grey outdoor matt porcelain slab 40x80cm tiles, £37.99 per square metre, Tile Mountain

Sharpen up Geometric motifs in black and white will never fall out of style.

Primo Avignon 15.1x15.1cm, £5.23 per tile, Original Style

BEST FOR RURAL CHARM Opt for the characterful appearance of slate for a country-style garden. These tiles are ideal for laying a patio, or to create a garden path, and have a matt finish and rustic riven texture that makes them look authentic. Lakeside russet slate-effect slab 29.5x29.5cm porcelain tiles, £44.95 per square metre, Walls & Floors

Marvellous mix Make a patchwork from the random selection of designs in each box.

Carnival 44x44cm, £4.84 per tile, Tons of Tiles

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FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

1 Signature check plaid vinyl, from £70 per m2, Amtico 2 Cape Town encaustic tile, £4.80 each, Ca’Pietra 3 Saigon mix wall and floor tile, £44.40 per m2, Porcelain Superstore 4 Havana silver white garden matt tiles, £49.50 per m2, Gemini Tiles 5 Dovetail vinyl tiles in Ink Black, £49.99 per m2, Harvey Maria 6 Signature painted oak laminate, £29.99 per m2, Quick-Step 7 City Land floor tiles, £50.50 per m2, Saloni 8 Scintilla paprika star pattern tiles, £24.95 per m2, Walls & Floors

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FOR MORE KITCHEN IDEAS VISIT REALHOMES.COM/KITCHEN

Be it elegant and pretty or dynamic and striking, add some bold detail underfoot for a kitchen floor with wow factor

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FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

1 Ellipse basin in pink RAL 3015, from £365, Waterbaths of Ashbourne 2 Arrezo matt grey square basin, £99.95, Victorian Plumbing 3 IOS 54 basin in RAL matt 1007, from £870, Victoria + Albert Baths 4 Kurv basin in Khaki Green, £454, BC Designs 5 Mode Orion blue basin, £67.99, Victoria Plum 6 Casselon platinum basin, £749, Crosswater 7 Artis basin in Cedar, £677, Villeroy & Boch 8 Plural triangular bowl in Matt Mink, £431, VitrA

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FOR MORE BATHROOM IDEAS VISIT REALHOMES.COM/BATHROOM

Give your bathroom an eye-catching centrepiece and cheer up your mornings with a playful design

sunda y project Stuck for ideas this weekend? Get your DIY fix and delve right in with our quick and easy ways to update your home for less

DEN OF DREAMS With little chance of heading off on holiday this summer (sob!), chances are you’re trying to find ways to keep the kids entertained at home. This understairs cupboard transformation has us digging out paint tester pots and fabric scraps to create a cosy den that Harry Potter fans (big and small) would love to call their own. If there’s no space under the stairs, you could make a reading nook in a corner of their bedroom instead.

To design the backdrop, divide the back wall into a number of geometric shapes with masking tape, then paint each one in a different colour. Small picture ledges make great mini bookshelves, and for a quick curtain solution, you can simply clip an inexpensive piece of fabric to a curtain wire (all available at Ikea) and attach to the wall with eye hooks (try Amazon).

Hopefully this’ll keep them entertained for hours, or be somewhere you can hide for a bit of peace and quiet!

WANT TO CREATE SPACES FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY AT HOME THIS SUMMER? FOR LOTS MORE CLEVER MAKEOVERS, VISIT REALHOMES.COM/DESIGN/PLAYROOM-DESIGN-IDEAS

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WORDS BETH MURTON

Walls painted in Banana Split, Dusted Fondant, Pebble Shore and White Cotton matt emulsion, £29.16 for 2.5ltrs, Dulux.

For a similar picture ledge, try the Mosslanda, £5, Ikea.

For quilted floor cushions, try Etsy