Blogs

The rise of home entertaining

Home entertaining - a drinks table in a garden

We love to socialise in the UK. A good old-fashioned chinwag is something we love to partake in. However, we have been moving away from socialising in public in favour of bringing the party to our homes. In 2001, reports found that just over half of the UK’s adults would prefer friends come over to their house to socialise rather than head to a pub or restaurant. This figure had substantially risen to 75% by 2017. And with two pubs on average closing each day in Britain, the rise of home entertaining is clearly having an effect.

But, what is so appealing about home entertaining?

Winter is coming! Seven simple tips to winter-proof your home and save money

Seven simple tips to proof your home for winter

The last British winter was one of the coldest on record. With the days now getting shorter and the nights getting colder, Hitachi Personal Finance has put together a list of seven simple tips which means you can protect and prepare your home for winter, saving money while you’re at it.

Insulate your home

HOMEBUILDER OFFERS TOP TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE WHILE MOVING HOME WITH CHILDREN OVER CHRISTMAS

David Wilson Homes Toddler Tip 5 - Get used to your surroundings

Leading housebuilder David Wilson Homes is offering Northamptonshire homebuyers its five top tips for moving home safely with young children over the festive period.

With a range of properties across the county that will be ready to move in before the big day, the developer wants to ensure people have a hassle-free move and keep their children safe.

Jason Hearn, Sales Director at David Wilson Homes South Midlands, said:

Barratt Homes Donation Helps Pupils Reflect On Walk To School Month

Pupils at Wixams Tree Primary School have received a donation of hi-vis vests from Barratt Homes to help them remain safe and seen as part of Walk to School Month.

Barratt Homes Northampton has given the school 35 of the safety jackets for their pupils to wear whilst walking to and from school, ensuring they can be easily seen on the roads as the darker nights draw in.

Walk to School Month runs for the duration of October and encourages pupils to celebrate the journey to school on foot.

The homebuilder’s development Willow Grove is located close to Wixams Tree Primary School and the donation of hi-vis vests is a part of Barratt Homes’ commitment to the education facility.

Why property is booming outside of London

For better or worse, when people think of the UK property market, they think of London. It’s not hard to see why: it’s the most connected, most expensive, and most affluent part of the country.

Indeed, if you’re a homebuyer, London might seem out of reach. But there’s so much more to the UK market than London – and, per the latest figures, its house prices are falling in real terms, as Manchester, Leicester, and Liverpool grew by more than six percent annually.

Calling all budding explorers

A housebuilder, Redrow Homes South Midlands, has come up with a novel way to keep the children entertained this summer.

Redrow Homes South Midlands is inviting budding adventurers to explore the gardens at a number of its showhomes throughout August in an exciting wildlife hunt.

Every adventurer will be provided with their very own ‘Explorer Pack’, which includes a nature tick list and a special pair of binoculars.

Tonia Tyler, sales director for Redrow Homes (South Midlands), said: The nature discovery hunt

How to be more energy efficient at home

by Mike Feely, Green Guru at E.ON

During Britain’s hottest summer in four decades, thoughts about energy efficiency may seem like a distant memory. However, as winter draws nearer and the weather gets cooler, the topic of energy usage at home inevitably starts to creep back into our minds.

Recent research by E.ON found that Brits don’t feel confident when it comes to energy related tasks at home. There are some easy things you can start doing now to get yourself prepped and ready before the fresher nights set in. Whether you’re buying a Victorian terrace or a new build, there are simple changes we can all make to be more energy efficient.

Simple swaps to go green

COMFORT IS KEY WITH THE NEW CORMAR RANGE

The Cormar Carpet Company cracks the value versus luxury conundrum with a comfortably priced, ultra-soft new carpet collection.

Apollo Comfort is the latest addition to the Cormar easy clean family. Made with a new, softer Excellon polypropylene fibre that brings a premium feel to an affordably priced range, it is bleach cleanable and dirt resistant and includes a 10 year stain and wear guarantee.

The Cormar Carpet Company

PLANNING THE PERFECT BATHROOM

Naomi Nunn, Interior Designer at leading online bathroom retailer soak.com, offers tips on what to think about when redesigning the bathroom in your first home.

Deciding on the layout and design of a bathroom remains one of the key decisions when any first time buyer gets the keys to their new home.

After all, whether it’s having a relaxing soak in the bath or enjoying a luxurious shower experience, you will spend several hours a week in your bathroom.

Before you even get to deciding on which products are going to go into your bathroom, there are some important questions to answer on layout.

To bee or not to bee: developer offers top tips for nature

Leading homebuilder Barratt Homes North Thames is offering homeowners in Bedfordshire its top tips for making their garden bee-friendly this summer.

The developer is encouraging people to make their garden a haven for our fuzzy friends, by planting flowers to attract them and making small changes to their garden to give bees somewhere to shelter.

There are over 250 bee species in the UK, and most face threats such as loss of habitat, climate change and disease. They are vital to the food chain, with one in every three mouthfuls of food consumed by humans dependent on pollination, including apples, pears, onions, potatoes, cherries, chilies, carrots, margarine and herbs.

Glenn Copper, Sales Director at Barratt Homes North Thames, said;