Homes & Gardens

Why Good Financial Planning Makes Home Buying Less Stressful

Home ownership is one of the greatest purchases most will make in their lifetime. It may be a great move but also a lot of questions. How much budget do you have for it? Are you prepared for the future? Will you have the earnings that a lender will look for? These are common concerns but with good financial planning, the entire process will be much easier to understand.

Planning in advance allows time to arrange the finances, to improve the borrowing position, and to make informed decisions. You don't need to rush through things, but you can do things well and without surprises...

Solar panels being installed by SunGift Solar

Coping with Cost of Heatwaves - Little Known Government Grant Key to Helping Households

As temperatures across the UK continue to rise and forecasters warn of further heatwaves this summer, renewable energy specialist Exeter-based SunGift Solar is urging homeowners to consider a little-known Government Grant that could play a vital part in keeping households cool as global temperatures rise.

The advice comes as parts of the UK prepare for temperatures above 30°C in the coming days, with amber heat-health alerts already issued across much of southern England and the Midlands, and warnings of a possible red heat-health alert.

The Met Office has also indicated...

Are Electric Garage Doors Worth It for Modern UK Homes?

Authored by Liv Butler
Posted: Thu, 06/18/2026 - 3:49pm

Many UK homeowners are rethinking the role of the garage. It is no longer just a place to park a car. For many households, it is also used for storing bikes, tools, sports equipment, gardening machinery, appliances and seasonal items. As a result, the garage door has become an important part of both property security and everyday home convenience.

One upgrade that is becoming more common is the move from a manual garage door to an electric or automatic system. But are electric garage doors worth it, or are they simply a luxury feature? The answer depends on how the garage is used...

How Modular Furniture Is Creating Calmer Homes

Authored by Liv Butler
Posted: Fri, 06/05/2026 - 10:17pm
The Growing Need for Calm in Modern UK Living

In recent years, “calm living” has become more than just a design preference — it has become a response to how people actually live. Across the UK, homes are expected to do far more than they used to. They are workplaces, social spaces, rest zones, and sometimes even fitness areas, all within the same footprint.

This constant shift in function has created a subtle but important problem: visual and mental overload. When a home has too many fixed elements or lacks structure, it can start to feel busy, cluttered, and mentally draining...

Why Modern Retirement Homes Are Finally Able to Fulfil Those Golden Year Dreams

Authored by Val Watson
Posted: Fri, 06/05/2026 - 8:45pm

For decades, retirement was often portrayed as a time to slow down. Many traditional retirement housing options focused primarily on care and practicality, leaving little room for the lifestyle aspirations many older adults had spent years looking forward to.

Today, however, retirement living is undergoing a transformation. Modern retirement communities are increasingly designed around wellbeing, independence, social connection, and personal fulfilment. Rather than simply providing a place to live, they are creating environments where people can actively enjoy the next chapter of...

New Cohousing Community Set to Save Exeter Landmark

A pioneering new 'cohousing' community is proposing to save a listed building in the Pinhoe Road, Exeter, as part of a brand new development that they are helping to design themselves.

Located at the former site of the Honeylands Assessment Unit, the group are working with a developer, Aspen Retirement, who will submit a planning application in mid-June for a scheme known as ‘cohousing’.

The first members of the Cohousing Exeter group have begun co-designing their planned 37 future homes on the site of Honeylands House at Whipton which has been vacant for over ten years...

How Decorative Finishing Elements Are Shaping Premium Interior Design

Authored by Ellie Green
Posted: Sun, 05/24/2026 - 6:40am

Premium interior design is increasingly being defined by subtle architectural detailing rather than oversized statement pieces or trend-driven decoration. Across the UK’s residential design sector, homeowners, architects and developers are placing greater emphasis on finishing elements that create depth, balance and visual refinement within modern living spaces.

This growing focus on detail reflects a wider shift in how luxury interiors are perceived. Rather than relying solely on expensive materials or expansive layouts, contemporary high-end design now prioritises craftsmanship...

Work is underway to deliver 37 new affordable homes at Seabrook Orchards in Exeter

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sun, 05/17/2026 - 3:55pm

Construction work is in progress on the outskirts of Exeter as Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) secures 37 new homes in Bloor Homes’ second phase of Seabrook Orchards in Topsham to provide affordable housing for local people in housing need.

The new homes in Topsham are in a sought-after location just a short drive from Exeter city centre with a number of great transport links on offer, including a bus stop on the doorstep, both Topsham and Newcourt train stations in close proximity, and Exeter Airport nearby.

Of the 37 homes, 28 will be offered for social rent and 9 homes...

Built for the Outdoors: Surface, Shade and Fitness Solutions

Authored by Simon Wells
Posted: Thu, 04/30/2026 - 8:35am

Outdoor environments, whether they belong to a private home, a sports facility, or an educational institution, share a common set of challenges. They need to withstand the kind of sustained use and unpredictable weather that indoor spaces never have to contend with, they need to remain functional and safe across all four seasons, and they need to deliver their purpose reliably without requiring constant maintenance or premature replacement. The products and solutions that meet those demands well tend to share certain qualities: they're specified for outdoor conditions from the outset...

Three Things Worth Knowing Before You Buy, Build or Refresh Your Home

Authored by Val Watson
Posted: Thu, 04/30/2026 - 1:45am

Home decisions tend to be among the most significant a person makes, financially, emotionally, and in terms of the daily quality of life they produce. Whether you're buying a property, extending the one you already own, or simply refreshing the way a space feels to live in, the choices made at each stage have consequences that play out over years rather than weeks. The difficulty is that there's an enormous amount of information available on all these subjects, not all of it reliable, and the gaps in knowledge that catch people out tend to be in areas they didn't know to look. The three...

Ida Hotel and Restaurant, Icmeler, Türkiye
your pets daily logo
Home Education Daily logo
Food and Drink Daily logo in red, white and black
your beauty daily logo with heart

Top video

Selco Builders Warehouse | England Rugby star Jack Nowell visits Exeter Saracens junior teams

England ace Jack delivers tips to Saracens

Exeter Weather