Amazing double-height spaces

From gorgeous oak-frame spaces to minimalist modern rooms, these beautiful lofty spaces will set your imagination soaring

A woodland Symphony

Musicians Katerina Nazarova and Tim Hugh built their own sustainable home in a truly wild setting

HOW GREEN IS YOUR HOME? Is a wind Lurbine right for your home?

If you’re thinking of resorting to wind power to bring down your bills, check out our expert Tim Pullen’s ultimate guide to wind turbines

Futureproof forever home

Designed to maximise views of the stunning Fenlands scenery, this highly efficient new build benefits from minimal heating bills

12 ways to get the best from trades

If you want to keep your build on track and to budget, you’ll need to know how to best engage with different trades to create a harmonious site and a successful project. Michelle Guy offers some words of advice…

DIY self-builds

Discover the different ways these self-builders saved tens of thousands of pounds on their bespoke home building projects

Doubling up

Emma and Richard Daw took pleasure in painstakingly restoring and extending a former shepherd's shelter on the north Norfolk coastline

Rescue remedy

After a series of frustrating setbacks with planning permission, Gary and Sue Hilton came up with the ideal formula for building their new home

On the edge

Built on a plot overlooking a steep valley, Jane and Tim Trounce’s cantilevered home was built in defiance of gravity — and a whole load of project setbacks

12 ways to keep your self-build on budget

Discover the innovative strategies and clever hacks you can use to claw back pennies when building a bespoke home

Cantilevered garden room

The ground-floor flat in this handsome Victorian villa has been transformed via the addition of a dramatic rear extension, clad in sand-faced red tile

Future facing

What started as a holiday home for Mike and Sue Nicholls turned into a high-tech, energy-efficient new build with stunning sea views

Small but mighty house extensions

Build a little but add a lot - these small but clever house extensions are an inspiring example of how much can be added by just expanding out slightly

HOW TO CHOOSE Guttering and fascias

As well as serving a practical purpose, rainwater goods can enhance your home's appeal. Here's our selection of the best materials and design options

How to downsize your home

Ready to live in a smaller abode? Scaling back need not mean sacrificing style or feeling cramped. Our guide shares some brilliant tips on how to downsize successfully

Stepping Out

Sarah Jenkins and Andy Rough added a new glazed kitchen extension to introduce some much-needed light and space to their Glaswegian basement flat

A small addition

Looking to downsize in a home she could futureproof, Catherine Chalmers reorganised and extended the layout of a 1950s bungalow

Restore and relax

Andy and Sue Perrin have carefully converted a tumbledown stone barn in Devon, reinstating character through careful design

Barn ambition

Nestled among the trees and the rolling Kent countryside, Astrid Zala's contemporary home took its inspiration from both natural and industrial elements

Angled extension

Challinor + Hitchcock Yoo architects designed this stunning addition to a historic house in Herefordshire to make the most of the views

HOW TO AVOID THE WRONG BUILDER FOR YOUR PROJECT

Not all builders are experienced in all kinds of construction. But what are the tell-tale signs to know and what can you do about rogue trades? Andy Stevens has the inside intel...

Designing a loft conversion

Utilising the space at the top of the house can make good sense. Here's how to achieve that perfect loft conversion

How to design gabion walls

Ideal for structural applications, gabion walls are a versatile option when it comes to constructing retaining walls, but they're equally viable for more decorative configurations. Architect Allan Corfield breaks down the detail

Hilltop haven

It took Jamie Adams and his wife Madeline Hutton 13 years to gain planning for their family home in the Hampshire countryside. But perseverance paid off and their modern take on a traditional home is teeming with sustainable features, inside and out

How to get one and a hall storeys right

Designing a house with one and a half storeys can be tricky, yet done well, this style of home can offer fantastic living spaces and also overcome certain planning issues

Into the light

David and Lisa Mason engaged Sheldon Peever Studio to redesign their dark, disconnected basement kitchen - and the results speak for themselves

Going up

Squashed into a post-war bungalow with their two daughters, Andrew McFadyen and Claire Heffeman chose to extend and renovate to give their home - and their family - a new lease of life

Hillside living

When the Ridgways bought a tiny house in a spectacular location they had no idea that it would turn into a massive self-build project involving the entire family

From a distance

With a little help from their trusted architect, Kerry and Andrew Scott converted their Grade II-listed barn in Oxfordshire while being locked down overseas

23 trends to look out for in 2023

What can we expect to see in the world of self-building and renovating in 2023? We put that question to a panel of design and construction experts and found some fascinating answers, with ways to build and retrofit homes to make them greener, more energy efficient and flexible being top of many people’s lists