Grand Designs Magazine

1 week ago | granddesignsmagazine.com | Mary Richards

Repair is the new replace. To help save the planet – and save themselves cash – more and more people are demanding manufacturers make it easier to mend stuff. Here’s why this ‘right to repair’ matters – plus where you can get information, parts and advice if you’ve got something broken that needs fixing.

3 weeks ago | granddesignsmagazine.com | Amy Cutmore

Hooked on hybrid? Enamoured with electric? If you’ve decided to upgrade to a greener vehicle, you may be wondering if it’s worth installing an EV charger at home. Having an at-home EV car charging point might seem convenient, but it is a further outlay on top of the price of your car. So it’s wise to sense-check if the extra spend is worth it. Or whether you can rely on external public charging points for power.

3 weeks ago | granddesignsmagazine.com | Mary Richards

Beautiful Backwater, nestling at the heart of the Norfolk Broads, is an award-winning holiday home designed by architect Patrick Michell, who told us about the highs and lows on the journey to building this very special place. After overcoming a host of construction challenges in true Grand Designs style – including building on ‘reinforced water’ – Patrick has ended up with a stunning and life-enhancing holiday home in a natural setting that is balm to the soul of everyone who stays there.

1 month ago | granddesignsmagazine.com | Hugh Metcalf

Living plant walls can look impressive and disguise problem outdoor areas, but it’s something that requires careful consideration and maintenance. Vertical gardens take the idea of outdoor planting to a new plane. A living wall involves designing and installing a prefabricated growing system to create a vibrant, striking feature. With professionally installed systems, the supporting structure is usually a type of racking made up of pockets or cells.

1 month ago | granddesignsmagazine.com | Mary Richards

Nansledan is an extension to surfers’ paradise Newquay, on the stunning north coast of Cornwall. The development is being constructed slowly over decades by three local building firms. And despite critics sneering, it’s proving very popular with those locals who can afford to live there…Before we get to the nitty gritty of what life’s like there, here’s the background on this out-of-the-ordinary place. Cornish languageThe name, which means ‘broad valley’ in Cornish, is pronounced ‘Nans-ledd-in’.