Latest Homes magazine

Award-winning lifestyle company Velvet open their fourth store

Brighton success story Velvet have opened their fourth store; a beautiful furniture and home accessories showroom located at 66–68 Church Road, Hove, in the old Gamleys toy shop.

“The old Gamleys shop is one of the best-sized stores in Hove, so we jumped at this opportunity to show the huge range of furniture we sell from our website. Existing customers have been asking us to open a furniture store in Hove for ages and the response from our first couple of weeks has already
been fantastic!” says codirector Emma Harrop.

The renovation took approximately five weeks in total – and what a transformation! During the build some wonderful finds were discovered, including six huge sash windows at the back of the store, beautiful wood panelling and solid oak flooring. Velvet has sympathetically restored it to its former glory and their wonderful range of products perfectly complements the building.

Read the rest of this article »

For many young professionals wanting to get onto the property ladder, it can be cheaper to buy-tolet than to become an owner occupier. You can buy anywhere as a landlord, provided you buy wisely and research the rental market in your chosen location. It also gives you flexibility, because if you change jobs and move to another location, you don’t have to sell.

Read the rest of this article »

A surge in the number of cowboy agents and rogue landlords in the wake of the credit crunch is feared by ARLA (the Association of Residential Letting Agents) as demand for rented accommodation continues to escalate.

Read the rest of this article »

Energy Performance Certificates required for new lets from October

From 1 October, Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are mandatory for all new lets and, whilst some of the provisions are to be clarified by the Government, the following rules so far apply…

Read the rest of this article »

Andrew Kay loves not loving his car

Needs demanded that I get my own form of transport. I have a bike but haven’t been on it once since moving out to sunny Saltdean six years ago. Even on a hot summer’s day it’s just too far for my fat and feeble body, and my sense of balance is certainly not what it was. So, the days of driving my old Skoda are over and I can now be seen in my new little red car.

Read the rest of this article »

Building opinions with Robert Stuart Nemeth, the man with a keen eye on Brighton’s architecture

“The work itself is an improvement. It will look nicer, not worse, when it is done.” So said the legal representative of Mehrvad Nikkah-Eshgi, the owner of 5-6 Western Road.

Think about how many dilapidated buildings there are on the Sussex coast in need of renovation. Of the many that spring to mind, some are in an appalling state. Of these, think of their potential. To define; if a particular development is worthy of considered support, should the test be whether or not the building is ‘nicer’ afterwards? Running west to east from Palmeira Square to Churchill Square, Western Road (which in fact took its name from the wealthy land-owning Western family) has many buildings that could do with tidying – and most are historic.

“Western Road took its name from the wealthy land-owning Western family”

Read the rest of this article »

Latest Interiors takes a look at stress-free ways to expand your property

If space is tight, but the time isn’t right for a move, adding a small extension to your home could help to ease the squeeze. Many people are daunted by seemingly complex planning regulations, or tales of dodgy builders and bottomless budgets – but it doesn’t have to be like that. Allow Latest Interiors to guide you through the ins and outs of extending your property.

Making plans

There are many ways of extending your property, and not all require planning permission. Certain types of extension – such as straightforward loft conversion with no alterations to the roof or external characteristics of the building – will not generally require specific permission. Most work will be subject to building regulations.

Read the rest of this article »

Emma and Nick, from the Velvet lifestyle and furniture stores, answer your design questions

I’m redecorating my guest bedroom and want to give it a sophisticated hotel feel. What advice would you give for achieving this?
Ella Harrison, Brighton

Emma says: Going for this look gives you lots of options depending whether you want to go for a more boutique or elegant and sleek feel. For either look though, the walls and flooring should be warm neutral colours such as honey and coffee shades. Either paint or wallpaper (£30 a roll) the room in these colours. Arrange your furniture symmetrically and accessorise to match – this may sound rather clinical but if you choose glamorous pieces of furniture this will ensure the room stays cosy and comfortable. Most importantly, make the bed look luxurious with quilts (from £95) and matching cushions (from £12.50).

Read the rest of this article »

The Paul O’Grady Show’s Marc Abraham gives the best advice on how to protect your fluffy friends this summer

White cats need sunscreen. (photo from www.carto.net)

Isn’t it great when the sun comes out over Sussex? Everyone’s smiling away, everything looks better and we can’t wait to get out and enjoy our surroundings. But we’re also all aware of the risks that come with hot weather and most of us take the necessary precautions to avoid sunburn, allergies and heatstroke.

But what about our piping-hot pets? Are we protecting them enough from the dangers of summer so they can enjoy it too?

“White cats are at greatest risk. Due to a lack of protective pigment they are prone to sunburn“

Read the rest of this article »

Photographer Diana Frangi meets comedian Stephen Grant

If Stephen Grant’s career as a stand-up falters, he knows he can always go back to his first love, software design (he created his first game, Dieste, at the age of 13!). But billed as the ‘Renaissance man of comedy’ and definitely coming to a crest of public acclaim, he can let his computer gather dust for a while yet.

Born and still living in Brighton, he cut his comedy teeth at the Good Companions pub in the late ‘90s. Moving on to the Edinburgh Festival, he was spotted by BBC Radio, who took him on as a writer. Now he’s busy performing around the country to rave reviews. We can catch him on Wednesday 16 July at the Komedia starting at 9pm. www.komedia.co.uk

How did you get your break?
There’s not really ‘breaks’ in comedy, like there is in acting, dance etc. It’s a hard profession, but if you’re any good, you’ll always work.

The ‘breakthrough’, as such, came when I got a job writing jokes for Radio 1, which meant I could leave my day job and concentrate entirely on comedy.

Read the rest of this article »