Planning News & Blog
The Perfect Working-from-Home Environment
Posted on October 9th 2020
So many of us continue to work from home, and will do for the foreseeable future. Some are lucky and have space for a dedicated office, either in the house or in the garden. But most of us are working from the kitchen table or a carved-out space in the living room or bedroom. Either way, there are tricks to creating the perfect home working environment to suit you. Here are some things to consider when planning your workspace.
Room Focus – The Bedroom
Posted on September 25th 2020
This week, I am looking at the Bedroom as part of our Room Focus Series. Whether a new master bedroom suite is part of your extension plans, or you just fancy a revamp of an existing room, here are some ideas to help plan your perfect space.
Case Study, St. Luke’s Road
Posted on September 11th 2020
This week, I am going to have a look at one of my favourite projects. 35 St. Luke’s Road is a fine, double fronted two-storey over basement, detached residential property. It was built in 1910 and converted into offices in the 1960s. The project created four separate dwellings in the existing building, providing 3 two-bed and 1 one-bed flats.
The Green Grant
Posted on August 14th 2020
Last week saw further information released about one of Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak’s big announcements from this year’s summer statement, The Green Homes Grant. The scheme is intended as a mechanism to boost the English construction industry in these hard times, and fuel a very necessary move towards upgrading our homes to be more energy efficient. Here is the official press release from the UK Government.
Room Focus – Utility Room
Posted on July 31st 2020
This fortnight, I am taking a look at the Utility Room. In recent years, the utility room seems to have fallen out of favour for a more open or bigger kitchen. I am constantly fighting the corner for the humble utility room. Aside from the kitchen, it is the second hardest working room in a family home. It is a room of many uses, from laundry room, to boot room, to pantry, to pet room. If you have the space, I would definitely recommend fitting one of these into any new project.
Garden Room Design
Posted on July 17th 2020
In my last blog, I explored the world of the Garden Room, or outbuilding, if you prefer. I looked at the planning and building control implications of such a project and how a garden room might sit in your garden. This week I'd like to look at the design of your new space, be it a gym, a spare bedroom, a home office or a den away from it all.
Outbuildings and Garden Rooms
Posted on July 3rd 2020
Be it a traditional wooden summer house or top of the range mini eco-home, garden rooms are a great way to add space to your home. They can provide quick square footage and are often less complicated than an extension. In these lockdown times, my clients are coming to me asking for advice about garden rooms as a quick and less disruptive way to create extra space when we need it most. Whether you desire a home office, a home gym or a hangout for the teenagers, there are lots of options out there for you.
Designing Your Kitchen
Posted on June 19th 2020
Many of my clients have come to me to help them find more space in their home. And often this space involves open plan living. An extension and knocking through existing rooms can give us the downstairs kitchen/lounge/diner that modern living craves. And, of course, we all desire that fabulous, brand new dream kitchen. But sometimes it can be overwhelming. There is so much choice in the kitchen industry and so many things to think about. I’ve put together a guide of things to think about when it comes to making those difficult kitchen decisions.
Continuing to Work During Lockdown.
Posted on June 5th 2020
We wanted to make sure we could answer everybody’s lockdown questions like: How do I still extend my home in lockdown? Can I still get planning permission for my home refurbishment? Can I get a measured survey done during the pandemic? And how can I discuss plans with my surveyor or designer during lockdown?
Designing in Patterns of Nature
Posted on May 22nd 2020
Nature, in all it’s forms, can evoke many emotions in people and this can be used to great effect in both the design and staging of your home. I thought it would be interesting to go through some ideas on how you could incorporate biophilic design in your home, either when you’re doing improvements, or just looking for a way to add greenery and nature to your existing home.
14 patterns in nature and how they add happiness to our daily lives
Posted on April 30th 2020
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than one seeks.”- John Muir, 19 July 1877 I have stumbled upon an article, which I found absolutely fascinating, so I thought I would share it here...
What’s involved with getting a study at home?
Posted on March 17th 2020
With the media coverage we have at the moment, and the number of queries we have been receiving for home offices, we thought it might be useful to have a succinct guide on what’s possible.
COVID-19 Update: Video Call
Posted on March 13th 2020
With all the COVID – 19 talk in the media, we have decided to offer a video chat option for clients that would rather not meet personally but still require advice.
Some Home Renovation Ideas
Posted on March 12th 2020
With Spring upon us, thought it would be good to share some ideas of what can be achieved.
When Is An Architectural designer or Surveyor Necessary For Home Renovations?
Posted on February 5th 2020
Wondering if you need an architectural designer or surveyor for an upcoming project? Maidenhead Planning looks at what architectural designers and building surveyors offer and which projects it’s essential to include them on.
Mercado Central
Posted on January 23rd 2020
Located in the centre of Cambridge this fine dining restaurant has opened with rave reviews from locals and foodies alike. We worked alongside the client and their own interior designer to design the space to make it usable, buildable and meets the clients and interior designers requirements.
Design and Build Contract
Posted on December 13th 2019
Whatever it is that you are planning on building, you are going to want to make sure that you approach it in the most sensible and appropriate way possible. There are a lot of considerations that are going to be important to make as a part of ensuring that, but one which is probably going to be particularly important is ensuring that you are using the right kind of procurement.
5 tips on how to decorate your home this Christmas
Posted on November 19th 2019
Well, would you look at that? The holiday season is already almost upon us! And for many of us, nothing helps us to get into the seasonal spirit more than decorating their home in a festive manner...
10 Reasons Why You Should Use An Architectural Professional
Posted on August 5th 2019
No matter whether you are interested in extensions, an architectural design for a new build, or you want to make better use of your home with space planning, you need to leave this in the hands of the professionals. After all, that is what they were trained for. Here are ten compelling reasons why you should use an architectural professional for your home projects.
Things You Should Do Before Deciding To Extend Your Home
Posted on July 9th 2019
Deciding to extend your home might seem like a good idea at first - but truthfully, it is not the best course of action for everybody. To make the best choice, consider your current situation and rooms, what you want and need from a potential extension, and what an extension means in real terms before committing.
Why you should involve an architectural designer in the tendering process
Posted on March 29th 2019
Undertaking a large extension or refurbishment to your home can be daunting as there is so much to think of. Here's some key reasons why your architectural designer or a professional construction consultant should be involved in the tendering process.
What to expect when hiring a architectural professional
Posted on March 15th 2019
I have found that a lot of my clients didn’t know what to expect once I turned up at their home, or what happens at the first meeting between prospective client and myself. I can’t speak for all other architectural professionals elsewhere, but below is how the process will work and what you can expect from us
Are Property Prices Rising in Berkshire?
Posted on November 1st 2018
Despite the warnings, we at Maidenhead Planning have found it getting busier and busier with planning applications and building regulation drawings in Maidenhead and Windsor.
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