Thursday 17 December 2015

Industrial Chic

We’ve been talking to the talented folk at Killer 5 about interior design again this week, and here Samantha Simmonds, Creative Director, shares her top tips on bringing industrial chic into your home.  

“You don’t have to live in an urban loft or rustic barn conversion to appreciate (and lust after) the latest industrial interior trends. By focusing on simple shapes, worn textures and raw materials, you can easily incorporate this into your home using a few key pieces.

“Let’s start with stripped-back lighting, this is a great way to take on the industrial trend, and will work well in almost any room. I love this brushed-brass chandelier from Made.com but if you’re on a tight budget, this suspended light fitting from Tesco will make a similar statement at a fraction of the cost.

 “Exposed brickwork is a trend that is set to stand the test of time, so if you’re looking to completely transform a space, this Next wallpaper is a fantastic way to fake the look without stripping back the plaster. Choose between the traditional red brick for a striking feature wall or go with the grey slate for a more country cottage feel (see how this can work in the Alban  show home at Branston Leas). Accessorise with this stunning steeple wall clock or put your personality on the wall in these Kiko glass frames, group them together in different sizes and orientations for an individual look.

“If you don’t fancy hanging wallpaper, these rustic storage solutions are an easier way to incorporate the industrial trend in to your home. This John Lewis trunk doubles as a coffee table, so ticks both the stylish and practical boxes. While this wooden ladder shelf from Cox & Cox is the perfect display for fresh flowers and your favourite books. Or use it to store kitchen essentials, Maison du Monde have a selection of industrial chic tableware that would look great on the shelf, including this traditional cast iron teapot.

“Finally, if you want to invest, this leather loveseat from Debenhams would be a stunning addition to your home and will distress beautifully over time. Combine with soft furnishings, like this luxurious faux fur throw from Not On The Highstreet, to create a relaxed, cosy look.”

Don’t forget to share your industrial chic interior design photos with us on St. Modwen Homes’ Facebook pages.

Monday 7 December 2015

Getting cosy with copper

It’s that time of the month again when we chat to the talented guys at Killer 5 about the latest interior design trends. This month, Samantha Simmonds, Creative Director, tells us how embracing the copper trend can bring warmth to our homes this winter.

“Copper has been a big trend for the past two years and its popularity remains strong (if not stronger) amongst homeowners and interior designers across the country; Copper Blush after all was Dulux’s paint colour of 2015.

“With the nights getting longer and darker, copper can be a real friend to anyone looking to bring warm tones into their home, especially as it goes so well with the grey tones that continue to be popular decorating choices. It also works wonderfully with mink colours, chocolate browns and teal (in fact, unless you’ve got a bright red room or lots of chrome finishes, copper accents can be introduced into most rooms – and there really are accessories for all rooms!)

“We’re all aware of copper pots and pans in the kitchen (there’s a lovely selection in Marks & Spencer) but this metallic trend doesn’t stop there. Think kettles, saltmills, glassware, cafetieres and even cutlery. Those feeling a bit more extravagant could even stretch to these beautiful dining chairs by Cox & Cox.

“Anyone looking to redecorate a living room or bedroom this winter could gain some copper-inspiration from feature wallpapers. Choose between feminine patterns such as the popular Josette print from Laura Ashley, make an impact with copper and black, merge metallic with matte or make a statement with this plaincopper wallpaper from Graham & Brown. 

“If wallpapering sends shivers down your spine, look to accessories instead. I love this sequinned cushion from H&M. Anyone wanting to bring copper subtly into a grey-themed room could try this geometric patterned cushion from Amara and those wanting a brighter room should opt for copper and teal, such as this cushion from Etsy. Accessories come in more forms than just cushions though. Why not see how a round copper hanging mirror looks? Or pop some flowers in this vase from Asda and your favourite photo in this contemporary photoframe from John Lewis.

“My favourite way to add copper into a room is through lighting and there are some wonderful fixtures around. Both Dunelm and Asda have some great affordable options (such as this ceiling light and this tablelamp) whilst this slightly more pricey office floor lamp from notonthehighstreet will make a great statement (visit the Edison Place show home in Rugby to see how a similar light can work in your living room).

“Those on a budget can up-scale existing photo frames and furniture with this great metallic copper paint for metal and wood from B&Q – it’s perfect for adding a touch of glitz to your rooms!

“Finally, we couldn’t not mention Christmas, especially as copper is the top trend for this year’s decorations. You’ll find loads on the high street. Our favourite has to be this little fox bauble from John Lewis – he’s definitely going to be on my tree this year!”

Share your copper interior design photos on the St. Modwen Homes’ Facebook pages.


Friday 6 November 2015

How to buy: The benefits of buying new

Old or new? It sounds simple, but other than location, it's one of the first big decisions you'll have to make when you buy a home. Here, as part of our 'How to Buy' blog, we take a look at the associated benefits of buying new with St. Modwen Homes.

First of all, new homes are built to the latest environmental standards, making them more energy efficient and ultimately cheaper to run. As standard, we build all of our homes with double glazing and high performance insulation throughout, integrating energy efficient appliances and solar panels where possible. 

Depending on when you buy, you may be able to customise your new home by selecting some of the fixtures and fittings. Be that a stylish kitchen from Moores, complete with integrated appliances, a beautiful bathroom with Roca and Hansgrohe sanitaryware and tiles, or the luxury deep pile carpet you've always wanted. So you can move in to your dream home, tailor made to your personal taste. 

Finally, buying new means you will benefit from the NHBC Buildmark guarantee which covers your home against damages for up to ten years after completion. As a registered NHBC builder, all of our homes are built to the NHBC Standards, covering everything from design to material specification and workmanship. To make sure standards are met throughout the build process, each of our sites is visited a minimum of five times by a team of NHBC inspectors at key stages of construction. So you know you're getting a quality build with St. Modwen Homes, but if anything does go wrong you're covered with Buildmark.

On top of this, when you buy with us, you'll be able to take advantage of the St. Modwen Homes' warranty. This goes above and beyond Buildmark, guaranteeing items supplied as part of your new home, including your guttering and alarm system for the first year. The heating, plumbing and electrical systems in your new home are also covered for two years from completion by the St. Modwen Homes' warranty, full details of which can be found here.

If you want to know more, don't forget our sales team are always on hand to answer your questions and help you throughout the buying process, just give them a call.

For more information about St. Modwen Homes visit www.stmodwenhomes.co.uk


Monday 2 November 2015

Win a Mulberry handbag!

In the run-up to Christmas, St. Modwen Homes is giving residents and visitors to the housebuilder’s developments the chance to win a beautiful new Mulberry handbag. 

To enter, just pop along to one of the developments, take a selfie (or get someone else to take a photo of you) and tell us what you like best about St. Modwen Homes in 20 words or under. Then share your photo and captions on our social media pages (our Facebook pages and Twitter account are listed below – just click on the link to go to your chosen page).


The person who sends us the best photo and caption (as voted for by an independent judge) wins their choice of Mulberry handbag (up to a value of £800)*. The competition is running between 2 November 2015 and 30 November 2015. Click here to read the terms and conditions and good luck!


*Based on availability at selected stores. 

Wednesday 26 August 2015

How to buy: What does being pre-qualified mean?

We know that buying a new home can often be a stressful time, full of processes and phrases that you’re not familiar with. That’s why we launched our How to Buy blog, to help you with every step of the journey.

So what does being pre-qualified mean?

Being pre-qualified simply means that you have spoken to one of our independent mortgage advisers at Mortgage Bureau and they have asked you questions that will determine whether you should be able to obtain a mortgage or not. Your adviser will also run a credit check based on the information you give which, again, will give you peace of mind as to whether your credit history is likely to enable you to qualify for a mortgage.

The questions are nothing to worry about, they’re just a way of determining how much money you can borrow from the bank or building society and therefore how much deposit you will need to buy your chosen home. It’s a really useful conversation for anyone looking to buy a new home as it means you can find out exactly what kind of house you can afford.

Working closely with independent mortgage advisers is an easy and stress free way to find the mortgage that suits you best. They are able to check with lenders from the whole of the market to see who will offer you the best mortgage rate, meaning they do all the hard work and will even help guide you through the questionnaire process. Even better, the conversation is completely free of charge so there really is nothing stopping you.

Here’s some of the information you’ll need to hand before speaking to the financial advisor:
·         The price of the property you wish to purchase (or a guide price)
·         The amount of your monthly incomings (your salary after tax and National Insurance)
·         The amount of your monthly outgoings (this includes household bills, rent or mortgage payments, Council Tax, childcare costs, gym membership, phone bills, beauty treatments and any other regular payments that you make)
·         An idea of the amount of deposit you want to put into the property

Helen Pierson from Mortgage Bureau said: “Being pre-qualified is a great position to be in as a home buyer as it means you can be more confident that you should be able to proceed with your purchase. The conversation is completely confidential and takes place over the phone at a time that is convenient to you. It also gives you a chance to ask any questions you might have relating to your house buying process.”

Anyone looking to purchase a new home at one of St. Modwen Homes’ developments who wishes to get pre-qualified should speak to a member of our sales team who will organise for a financial advisor at Mortgage Bureau to get in touch. 

For more information about St. Modwen Homes visit www.stmodwenhomes.co.uk or click here. 

Bringing floral trends into your new home

We’ve teamed up with our talented interior designers at Killer 5 to give you the latest insights, trends and top tips on how to decorate your new home.

Here, Samantha Simmonds, Creative Director at Killer 5, explains how to incorporate floral patterns into your living spaces…

“As we enjoy the remaining summer months, we find ourselves making our way into the garden to enjoy a spot of alfresco dining or a glass of Pimms in the sunshine. But what happens when that rain cloud rears its ugly head? Well, here are my top tips on how to bring the outside inside, using floral trends to provide permanent sunshine in your new home.

“If you’ve got the time and budget, think about re-inventing your living rooms or bedrooms by introducing floral wallpaper to create an interesting feature wall. My favourite is this Damson Mattiazzo pattern from John Lewis which mimics the texture of velvet, providing a perfect transition into autumn – it would look great teamed with white or grey walls.

“For those of us however who haven’t got the patience to redecorate every season (and let’s face it, that’s most of us), here’s my favourite floral accessories that will help lift your home. Replace your existing scatter cushions with some floral patterned ones. Be bold and try different patterns and colours together. Most of the high street shops are stocking a range of botanical designs, with green the colour of the season and prints bigger and bolder than previous years. I love this print from H&M and this bedding from John Lewis.  

“Floral patterns aren’t restricted to cushions and bedding though. Your kitchen can receive an instant hit of flower power through the introduction of patterned storage jars, oven gloves or even a teapot. Similarly, introduce floral patterns into your bathroom by simply replacing the hand towel with one like this from Orla Kiely.  

“Another quick fix is to add florals through artwork. This doesn’t need to be expensive either. Why not head to the local park and take some snaps on your own camera? Photography is a great way to make your home more personal too.

“Finally, the floral trend wouldn’t be complete without flowers! Get your favourite vase and fill it full with dahlias, roses, sunflowers – anything that takes your fancy! You’ll also find lots of hanging vases and indoor greenhouses in the shops at the moment, offering more unusual and quirky ways to display flowers and plants in your home. And if real flowers are too much trouble, visit Dunelm Mill for their wide range of silk alternatives, such as these peonies.”

Share your floral-inspired rooms with us on Twitter (@StModwenHomes) or via any of our development’s Facebook pages.

For more information about St. Modwen Homes visit www.stmodwenhomes.co.uk or click here. 

N.B. The information supplied in this blog is the opinion of the individual quoted and not necessarily that of St. Modwen Homes. St. Modwen Homes recognises that many companies offer similar products and the Company is not endorsing any particular items.  

Friday 21 August 2015

How to buy: Understanding what everyone's talking about

Welcome to the first in our series of ‘How to Buy’ blogs, aimed at helping you understand the home buying process. This first blog looks at the words and phrases commonly used, helping you decipher what everyone’s talking about.

Conveyancer
A licensed conveyancer or solicitor is the person who does all the legal work involved in selling and buying property, otherwise called conveyancing.

Exchange of contracts
This is the exciting bit, it’s the point where the property sale becomes legally binding meaning you’ve just become a brand new home owner.

Interest
Interest is the money you are charged by your lender (usually a bank or building society) for borrowing your mortgage.

Legal completion
This is the point where the home buyer becomes the legal owner of the property. Legal completion occurs when solicitors from both sides complete the transaction on behalf of the buyer and seller, usually on the date of moving in.

Lender
The bank or building society with whom you have your mortgage.

Mortgage
This is simply a loan from the bank or building society that you use to buy a property. The property acts as security for the loan and so can be repossessed and sold if the mortgage repayments are not made – that’s why it’s important to keep up with your repayments.

Stamp duty
Stamp duty is a tax charged by the government for owning a home in the UK. It’s payable on homes that cost more than £125,000 and the amount payable depends on the value of your property. For more information click here.

Survey (lender’s survey)
A map or plan made by a licensed surveyor on behalf of the purchaser. The survey will show various details about the property, as well as the land around it. A survey is often required by the lender in order to prove that a building is actually sited on the land according to its legal description.

Valuation
Each lender will inspect your new home to determine whether it has been valued correctly and therefore whether it is suitable for a mortgage.

Don’t forget that our sales teams are always on hand to answer your questions and help you through the buying process so, if you want to know more, simply give them a call.

For more information about St. Modwen Homes visit www.stmodwenhomes.co.uk or click here.