Journal402 posts, 2017 to 2026

The design and build journal.

Every job teaches something. This is where it gets written up. Planning, basements, costs, finishes and the people who build them.

Page 1517 pages

More from the archive.

  1. Interior design2 min read

    Internal window security shutters London

    Internal window security shutters for prime London homes. Bespoke, invisible security integrated with luxury interior design. Specialists at NU Projects.

  2. Collaboration2 min read

    NU Projects, Koja Design and Art Concepts London, a 2020 note

    NU Projects, Koja Design and Art Concepts London on bringing art into a scheme. Why artwork is planned early, not chosen at the end.

  3. Interior design2 min read

    Home gym design ideas for busy Londoners

    Home gym ideas for a London house or basement refurbishment. Planning the layout, flooring and kit so it still fits the house.

  4. Interior design2 min read

    The importance of lighting in interior design

    Lighting is the element most schemes get wrong. The three layers, ambient, task and accent, and how each one changes a room.

  5. Interior design2 min read

    Bespoke furniture made in London, by a West London interior designer

    One off furniture made in a London workshop. How pieces are sized to the room and matched to the fabrics already in your scheme.

  6. Interior design3 min read

    Safe rooms in prime London homes: a design and construction guide

    How a safe room is planned inside a prime London home. The security brief, structure, fire escape routes and the services it needs.

  7. Interior design1 min read

    Bring nature into your home, by a West London interior designer

    Why plants and greenery change how a room feels. The evidence on mood and stress, and simple ways to bring nature indoors.

  8. Interior design2 min read

    Your home and your wellbeing

    How light, layout and material choice affect mood at home. Tips from an interior designer on small changes that make a house calmer.

  9. Collaboration1 min read

    NU Projects and Koja Design Studio, a West London collaboration

    The NU and KOJA Design studio collaboration. What a west London interior designer brings to a renovation, from first scheme to turnkey finish.

  10. Basements1 min read

    Don’t move, improve: Basement conversion in West London

    Why a basement is often the only way to add space in West London. Rough build costs per square foot, and what the fit-out adds on top.

  11. Construction1 min read

    Coronavirus update, NU Projects is still open for business

    A note from March 2020. What NU Projects was doing to keep clients and contractors safe, and how the live sites were running.

  12. Construction2 min read

    10 tips to find your perfect builder in West London

    Ten checks before you hire a builder in West London. References, false trade association claims, CDM 2015 and written quotes.

  13. Interior design2 min read

    Must-haves in 2020: five interior design tips for the year

    Five interior ideas for 2020, written at the time. Pastel and warm neutral colours, bolder accents and easy ways to lift a tired room.

  14. Loft conversion2 min read

    How to add value to your property: loft conversion ideas

    Loft conversion ideas that add usable space and value to a London house. What the work involves, and how to choose the room the loft becomes.

  15. Construction2 min read

    My year at NU Projects

    A team member on her first 14 months at NU in Fulham. Moving from interior studies into the construction side of the business.

  16. Interior design2 min read

    10 interior tips, a must read

    Ten tips from our videographer for anyone stuck with an interior. Planning the space, collecting references, and where to spend.

  17. Interior design2 min read

    Grey. Grey. Grey. You can do it right, but how?

    Grey is the dominant colour in London. With the city being grey in architecture and weather it is a colour that really works in interior spaces.

  18. Construction2 min read

    The importance of adding value to your home

    Adding value to a London house, financially and day to day. Loft space, a rear extension, a side return and a bathroom update.

  19. Construction1 min read

    New builds, say yes, NU Projects

    Building a home from scratch can be the most incredible experience, but also one of the most challenging and stressful times of your life.

  20. Basements2 min read

    NU Projects basements, have you thought about doing this?

    Why basements are the move in Fulham, when a loft will not get planning, and what a lower floor adds to a terraced house.

  21. Construction4 min read

    Worksurfaces, so many, how do you decide?

    Granite, quartz, porcelain, concrete, wood or steel. How each worktop behaves in a working kitchen, and what drives the price you pay.

  22. Construction1 min read

    Join the NU Projects affiliation programme and generate income

    How the NU Projects affiliate programme works. Refer a friend or colleague planning a renovation, and earn a fee once their project signs.

  23. Construction2 min read

    Ronnie Surridge, BMX to property, a note from 2019

    How a sponsored BMX rider moved from competition into London construction. Ronnie Surridge on the road from the bike to the building site.

  24. Construction2 min read

    Front doors! Say hello to the world

    What your front door says about the house behind it. Colour, ironmongery and numbering, and how to match them to the period.

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