Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights to create in-depth features. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!

Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights to create in-depth features. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!

“Don’t move, improve!” was the argument that won out when Emma Barber and her husband were working out how to gain more space. “It was between moving house or extending,” Barber recalls. “Eventually, because we loved the garden and location, we opted to extend.”



Working to a maximum budget of £85,000, Barber, who’s an interior designer, planned and project-managed a spacious extension to the side and rear of their home in Swindon. “Now the house works for us as a family,” she says. “We could have spent the same amount just on moving costs, but what we spent here we see and enjoy every day.”