The 16 London areas tipped for growth
Price ripples spreading from prime central London are driving up values in surrounding districts, so where should you buy? We reveal the 16 lower-priced areas with new homes and growth potential over the next 10 years.
Waterloo and London's South Bank: 2,000 new homes
The South Bank's residential population is about to get a significant boost with nearly 2,000 new homes underway on the doorstep of Waterloo station - including 877 flats with spectacular views next to the London Eye at the iconic Shell Centre.
Banbury spotlight
The small town of Banbury in Oxfordshire is a home-hunter's dream, with good-value elegant family houses and charming cottages surrounded by attractive countryside villages - all within an hour's commute to London.
Rochester spotlight
Rochester sits close to the river Medway in Kent, 30 miles south-east of London. The cobbled streets of this ancient city have set the scene for some of Dickens's most famous works, while its mix of period homes and riverside flats attract Londoners.
Home aboard the Mary Rose
Henry VIII's famous Tudor warship capsized more than 500 years ago. Now, the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth is a time capsule that reveals the elegant simplicity of this astonishingly well-preserved early English oak furniture.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Fulham, SW6
This smart Victorian garden flat in sought-after Sands End, Fulham, has two double bedrooms and an open-plan reception/dining space opening to a stylish walled garden.
Out of town: Lower Slaughter, Glos
This Cotswolds cutie is in Lower Slaughter - one of Gloucestershire’s prettiest villages. The three-bedroom home has a spacious drawing room, a fine conservatory and stunning views over clipped gardens.
Life-changer: King's Lynn, Norfolk
City living might become a distant memory once you up sticks to The Old Coach House in the village of Ingoldisthorpe. There is bags of potential with this 4,000sq ft house to turn its seven bedrooms into guest suites.
Spotlight on Berkhamsted
Nestled in the rolling hills of Hertfordshire, Berkhamsted is 30 miles north-west of the Londonand has a pretty high street, a picturesque canal and a good mix of family houses and town centre flats.-
Buy of the week: Fulham, SW6
This smart Victorian garden flat in sought-after Sands End, Fulham, has two double bedrooms and an open-plan reception/dining space opening to a stylish walled garden. -
Out of town: Lower Slaughter, Glos
This Cotswolds cutie is in Lower Slaughter - one of Gloucestershire’s prettiest villages. The three-bedroom home has a spacious drawing room, a fine conservatory and stunning views over clipped gardens. -
Life-changer: King's Lynn, Norfolk
City living might become a distant memory once you up sticks to The Old Coach House in the village of Ingoldisthorpe. There is bags of potential with this 4,000sq ft house to turn its seven bedrooms into guest suites.
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The three big interiors trends set to dominate 2013
Rough lux, au naturel and powerful colours — choose your style, says Philippa Stockley
Sheera natural slate, from Topps Tiles, £29.85 a sq m (toppstiles.co.uk)
A Biarritz polished cast-iron bath makes a rich metallic statement (£2,795; castironbath.co.uk)
Get the "masculine" look with Stoneware lustre pendant lamps (£360 each; tomdixon.net)
1. ROUGH LUX
BEATEN, RUSTED, DISTRESSED — AND MASCULINE
The hottest trend is metal, part of the "rough lux" look — beaten, distressed, rusted, or super-shiny. The warmth of copper or brass adds richness and warmth and combines really well with dark tones and leather.
A pendant light from Tom Dixon or an entire copper bath each work their sultry magic. A key to making this sexy, masculine look bloom is directional lighting.
Bloem glass mosaics in Rosso and Blu, by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders for Bisazza, £3,588 per square metre, excluding VAT (bisazza.com)
2. COLOUR BLAST
COLLECTABLE DESIGN STATEMENTS
For pure fun, you may just want to try a colour blast, in a collectable, mono-colour signature piece. Try a chair from design star Benjamin Hubert or an Eames limited-edition rocker (very comfy).
How about a wall in Marcel Wanders's amazing multi-coloured glass-mosaic flowers for Bisazza (right), or a fun Victor cupboard from Roche Bobois.
These design-statement pieces pack a punch, and clashes are as good as matches. Add extra splashes of colour to build the look with low-cost ceramics, cushions, or a bright lick of good old paint.
A contemporary sofa, £2,930 (requires 17 metres of fabric), and a Draycott chair, £1,760 requires eight metres), by David Seyfried (davidseyfried.com) at Chelsea Harbour Design Centre
3. AU NATUREL
A TACTILE AND CALMING BACKGROUND TO LIVING
For a cosier au naturel look to take you through to the warmth of spring, choose top-quality plain fabrics such as linens or soft, warm wool in muted tones — sands, neutrals and earth pigments.
Let quality do the talking. If you like, add a traditional weave or ethnic pattern for variety. Understated naturals can be very sophisticated, providing a calm background for living.
To add a top note, try Ginger and Jagger's Figtree console, with branch legs.
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Crouch End garage transformed into stylish two-storey home
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Crouch End garage transformed into stylish two-storey home
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Chelsea Fringe Festival: what's on this weekend
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