This week we’re seriously smitten by this gorgeous loft-style conversion of an old bookbindery in north London.
Why?  Well, it probably has something to do with the large open-plan living spaces; the acres of timber flooring; the spiral staircase; the iron stove; the original brickwork; and the fantastic roof terrace at the top.

The Property: Grade II listed Methodist chapel with attached Sunday school.
The Place: Brentor, Tavistock, Devon
The Price: £150,000 Guide
(Click on pics for more images & property description.)

The Pain: It’s listed and there are a few restrictions here that won’t suit everyone. The chapel must be kept as an office or for light industrial use while the [...]

How will Santa enter your home this Christmas? Click on the link below to take part in our quick survey.

Will Santa Be Hurrying Down Your Chimney This Christmas?

We’ve done property blogs and property forums, so we thought it was about time we pointed you in the direction of some interiors eye-candy.
Warning:  if, like me, your idea of domestic decoration involves a withered spider plant, books covering every available surface and empty whiskey bottles on the mantelpiece, all of this might leave you [...]

This week’s graph comes from the latest RICS Lettings Survey, published today (2 December 2009).
The report (Q3 2009) reveals that as the sales market recovers, excess stock in the rental market is on the wane and rental prices are edging back up.

RICS spokesperson Jeremy Leaf commented: “It seems the current upward trend in the housing [...]

Here’s a new website that’s just come to my attention: Kitchen Synch, a brokerage service that will flog you a used or ex-display kitchen at a bargain basement price.
It’s a bit like a TK Maxx for kitchens and lists dozens of models by everyone from Poggenpohl and Siematic to Oxford and Alno.  You can also [...]

A converted watermill comes pretty close to being my ideal home – and watermills don’t come much better than this beauty in Piltdown, East Sussex.
Sadly, these properties tend to have hefty price tags, so it’s unlikely I’ll be buying myself one for Christmas (or ever, to be honest).
Still, on a filthy wet Monday, this is [...]

Ok, this won’t come as a big surprise to parents: a property close to a good school will cost a whole lot more than one close to a … not so good school.
But how much more? Savills have crunched the numbers and concluded that:

Homes in the vicinity of the top-performing 25 per cent of secondary [...]

The Property: A disused Victorian water tower plus two gatehouses.
The Place: London SE11
The Price: £995,000 for the three properties, or £395,000 for the water tower, £350,000 for gatehouse 1, and £250,000 for gatehouse 2.
The Pain: Eight floors, all of them Grade II listed, with a water tank on the top. This is a challenging project, [...]

It takes a certain amount of courage to go for contrast rather than seamless integration, but this wonderful cedar extension makes a fine job of it.
Although it stands in stark contrast to the existing brick and tile-hung house, the use of warm timber and the simple barn-like aesthetic also manages to complement the rustic original.
And [...]