We flew to Sweden to test out the Rolex of beds, which promises nights of unbridled pleasure April 25, 2016 Sorry to break it to you, but Brits just aren’t that great in bed. According to the National Sleep Survey more than half of the UK population has trouble nodding off and four in five complain of disturbed sleep. The accumulated impact of dodgy sleep on our waking hours is a real issue, affecting everything [...]
UK house prices: Hundreds of thousands of homeowners who bought in 2007 are still stuck in negative equity April 25, 2016 Average house prices in more than half of UK towns and cities are still below 2007 levels, new research has claimed, trapping hundreds of thousands of people who bought at the top of the market in negative equity. Around 1.5 million property transactions were completed at the top of the market before the banking collapse [...]
As the world prepares for the Chelsea Flower Show, we meet up with the young superstars of landscape architecture April 25, 2016 Harry and David Rich, 28 and 25 Although not involved with the London shows this year, Welsh brothers Harry and David Rich already have a clutch of medals from three successive years at Chelsea. Having grown up with a love of gardening, it’s no surprise the siblings both decided to go into landscape design. Their [...]
Living on a houseboat: A cheap housing alternative to expensive rents and high London property prices April 25, 2016 I live on a houseboat. When I tell people this, people want to know everything: how I breathe, eat, sleep and – worryingly often – how I go to the loo. It’s all up for discussion. When you live on a barge, there’s a danger of your home becoming the most interesting thing about you. [...]
Get acquainted with the world’s sexiest homes: 100 Contemporary Houses invites you to explore innovative architectural designs April 25, 2016 "The house is intimately related to the idea of shelter,” says Swiss architect Mario Botta. “A cave carved out of the rock is like a mother’s womb. When I am tired of the world, I want to go home. There I can regain my energy to prepare for the next day’s battle.” Our lives are [...]
The uniquely spectacular Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg: “An outstanding project the likes of which will never happen again in the city” April 25, 2016 It’s hard to describe the appeal of Hamburg. It isn’t as picturesque as Munich, nor as cool as Berlin. Instead it’s quietly confident, relaxed, comfortable with its role as Germany’s second largest city, a hub for commerce and industry. One of Europe’s most important ports, Hamburg is located on the River Elbe and the city [...]
London house prices: Galliard is about to launch homes just for first-time buyers – and expects queues and “rapid sales” April 25, 2016 We all know how tough it is for first-time buyers to get a foot on the ladder, with recent estimates suggesting Londoners would need a six-figure salary to buy a home by 2020. So perhaps Galliard Homes is right to predict "queues and rapid sales" for its latest scheme The Landmark, which is being touted [...]
UK housing crisis: Greenbelt “under siege” as councils earmark land for 275,000 more homes to be built, research claims April 25, 2016 England's Greenbelt will become home to more than a quarter of a million houses, as part of the government's efforts to resolve the UK's housing crisis. Councils have allocated land for 275,000 houses to be built on England's greenbelt – an increase of 50,000 on last year – research published this morning claims. But while some people might [...]
New homes on sale this weekend, including the former BBC Television Centre in White City April 22, 2016 Television Centre, White City From £700,000 The former home of the BBC forms the centrepiece of the regeneration of White City, which will see 5,000 new homes built in total. The first batch of homes will go on sale from 23 April at 11am in the Television Centre Pavilion. The first phase will consist of [...]
Property of the Week: This novel loft conversion doubled the living space at 28 Nottingham Place in Marylebone April 22, 2016 You’ve heard of wealthy homeowners digging down into their basements, but have you ever seen them build up? The owners of the fourth floor apartment at 28 Nottingham Place, a period building in the heart of Marylebone, have decided to do just that and increase their living space from 680sqft to 1,219sqft at the drop [...]