As we emerge from the darkest depths of winter and look forward to spring, it is time to consider not just your imminent spring clean, but which DIY projects you are going to tackle to freshen up your house. Whether these are small-scale or grandiose, there are a variety of …
Read More »Make room for family fitness
Creating a family fitness room makes it easier than ever to stick to your workout -and it’s a great place for the kids to chill out, too. Obviously choose the biggest space you can for the fitness area, but don’t forget to create an atmosphere of warmth. That way it …
Read More »Make a success of DIY design
Home makeover programmes have inspired millions of people to become a little more creative with their interiors. You can now choose from endless paint shades, rolls of designer wallpapers, floor coverings, furniture styles and accessories. It is piecing them all together that is the hard bit. While choice is always …
Read More »DIY disasters
How many times have you eagerly started a DIY project full of enthusiasm only to get half way into it and get bored? If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. About 1.7 million of us are living with a DIY or home renovation project that’s remained unfinished for the …
Read More »Homeowners opt for DIY
It seems the credit crunch has not only prevented many of us from moving house, but has also stopped us hiring professional tradespeople to tackle home improvement jobs. Builders, decorators and plumbers who thought they would get a bite of the home improvements pie have been left sorely disappointed as …
Read More »DIY dads save the pennies
Taking a trip to a home improvement store has proved to be a particularly popular pastime over the past few weeks. Such is the assertion of Barclaycard Payment Acceptance, which reports that consumers have been taking advantage of discounts and sales by retailers over the past month. Indeed, research from …
Read More »DIY or call out?
There are certain things that a seasoned DIY-er can take on, potentially saving themselves thousands in call out charges. But take on a job beyond your abilities and it really could cost you dearly – contractors don’t charge those expensive fees for nothing after all. So what are those ‘little’ …
Read More »DIY energy efficiency
You’ve got the bio-fuel car, you recycle your cans, bottles and paper and you even grow your own vegetables. But is your home as energy efficient as it could be? Inefficient products such as fridge freezers and dishwashers could be causing you to sport a giant-sized carbon footprint. So how …
Read More »Restoring original features in your home
Many of us will choose a house based on those immortal words ‘original features’. Fireplaces, wooden floors, ceiling coving and old pine doors are all things that can raise a house above the pack when it comes to the estate agents details. But more often than not those much-loved features …
Read More »Why a 1930s house could be the perfect DIY project
Think of a typical British home and you might think of a chocolate box thatched cottage, roses round the door, an apple tree in the garden. But you’d be more on the money if you pictured a bay fronted 30s semi-detached, pebble dashed and wide door-ed. Those very same houses …
Read More »The best designs of all time
There are some designs which we love for a few months before consigning them to the bin of bad taste. But there are some which stand the test of time, looking great in every changing trend… Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Chair With its clean lines and sleek looks Mies …
Read More »