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 1617 pages

More from the archive.

  1. Recruitment1 min read

    NU Projects are hiring

    NU Projects is hiring in Fulham. What the design office and the site teams do day to day. The roles open, and how to apply.

  2. Construction1 min read

    Palazzo Morelli, handcrafted surfaces for London homes

    A note from 2019 on the Italian surface maker NU Projects began working with, and what handcrafted hard surfaces bring to a London home.

  3. Interior design1 min read

    Beautiful Italian surfaces, gemstone, marble, wood

    Italian stone, marble, mosaic and gemstone surfaces. What specialist surface work adds to a room, and what it needs from the build.

  4. Architecture3 min read

    Heating sources, radiators or UFH

    Underfloor heating or radiators for a London renovation. How the two differ in cost, running expense and how they suit a room.

  5. Construction3 min read

    Have you thought about a wet room?

    Turning a small windowless room into a wet room. What the planning involves, where projects go wrong and the value it adds.

  6. Construction3 min read

    Spruce up your garden, it is easy

    Getting a London garden ready for summer. Paving, planting, water features, and making the garden read as part of the house.

  7. Construction2 min read

    Your chimneypiece, a blessing or havoc?

    What to do with a London fireplace and the chimney breast around it. Keeping the period detail, and how to use the alcoves either side.

  8. Home renovation2 min read

    Investing in London property

    Why a slow London market is when investors buy. How NU Projects finds undeveloped property, adds space to it and brings it back to market.

  9. Interior design3 min read

    Real or fake, which to choose, interior decorating

    Real materials or their copies, room by room. Where the difference shows, where it does not, and what it costs either way.

  10. Interior design2 min read

    Stripes: the timeless pattern

    Why stripes outlast florals and geometrics in interiors. Where to use them, and how bold to go without swamping a small room.

  11. Interior design2 min read

    Why you should start your construction project now

    Why spring and summer suit a build, and what a quieter market does to prices. Written when uncertainty had owners holding off on work.

  12. Construction2 min read

    Spring has sprung. Bring in the florals

    Floral prints are back in interiors. Where to use them so they read as a statement, and how to carry the colours through the room.

  13. Interior design3 min read

    Stone, so many, how do you decide?

    Marble, granite, ceramic or porcelain for worktops, floors and splashbacks. What each one resists, what stains it, and how to decide.

  14. Interior design2 min read

    NU Projects now doing #NU kitchens!

    Why NU started supplying its own kitchens with a German manufacturer. How to hold on to kitchen quality when the renovation budget is tight.

  15. Collaboration2 min read

    A new working partnership, announced in 2019

    A 2019 company note on the working partnership with Hunt Property Services. What the tie-up added for buyers, landlords and renovation clients.

  16. Interior design4 min read

    Should I invest in a bathroom renovation?

    Is a bathroom renovation worth the money? What to spend on if you are selling, what to spend on if you are staying, and where to save.

  17. Home renovation3 min read

    Design considerations for wheelchair access in the home

    How to design a home that works for wheelchair users and ageing residents. Door widths, turning space and finishes that still look good.

  18. Construction2 min read

    Party walls, what you need to know

    Party walls explained for London homeowners. When a neighbour must be notified, what can go wrong, and how to keep works civil.

  19. Interior design2 min read

    Pendant lighting

    When it comes to decorative ceiling lighting, it can be tricky to know the right size, the right height and the right area to place them.

  20. Construction2 min read

    Wood burners, add warmth to your home

    Wood burners in a period London house. What they bring to a room, and the flue and hearth work involved before fitting one.

  21. Basements3 min read

    Basements, the facts to know

    What a basement conversion involves in London. How the budget is built up, what party walls add, and how to light a floor with no windows.

  22. Home renovation2 min read

    The downstairs loo, the small room worth spending on

    The smallest room in the house is the one every guest uses. What to spend on it, and what it does for the rest of the floor.

  23. Interior design3 min read

    Kitchen layouts for you

    Kitchen layouts explained before you replace the cabinetry. Galley, island and other shapes, and which suits the size of your room.

  24. Interior design3 min read

    Re-decorate your home, bold colours

    Bold colour ideas for redecorating a London home. Where strong shades work, how to use grey well, and what to change before Christmas.

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