Grand Designs Extras Grand Designs: Letters August '09

Date Published:

02/07/2009

Orange Globe Clock from Mondaine.com

One Happy Punter

Thank you, George Clarke, for re-designing our home (July 2009, p146). Your plans were perfect, even down to the position of the washing machine. We were thrilled, and I am eternally grateful to you for convincing my partner that we can improve our home. So far I have not been able to persuade him to move the position of the TV, let alone move the kitchen upstairs!

We are planning to go ahead with your plans as soon as possible. Without your help we would have made some costly mistakes. It’s hard to put into words how much we appreciate your effort and attention to detail with our dilemma. We feel very lucky right now!
Alison Lee London

Ed says: Thanks Alison. I’m sure George will be equally thrilled. We hope your new clock sits well within your new home. See George’s latest article on p116, or email designadvice@granddesignsmagazine.com with a brief description, photos and a floorplan if you want him to cast his expert eye over your space.

I’m looking to find out where Ian and Sophie Cooper from the Bath Apprentice Store, shown on TV and in the magazine (May 2009, p66), got those coloured framed prints of trees from?
Graeme Moncur via email

Ian and Sophie Cooper with the prints

Ed says: The prints are by the artist Paul Farrell (07976 158 265; paul-farrell.co.uk). Ian and Sophie bought them framed from Rostra Gallery in Bath (01225 448 121; rostragallery.co.uk). Check Paul’s website for other stockists.

I was staggered by the figures in Kevin McCloud’s article in the July issue (p132) – 48 million car tyres thrown away in Britain every year! It filled me with even more admiration for the tyre walls in Daren and Adi’s Brittany groundhouse from TV (and in the same issue, p66). But there’s just one thing I’m wondering: where can you get all these tyres if you’re thinking of doing something similar?
Mike Telford via email

Ed says:Thanks Mike. With figures like that, you’d think old tyres would be on every street corner! We spoke to earthship specialists the Low Carbon Trust (lowcarbon.co.uk), the organisation behind Earthship Brighton (which is open to the public if you fancy seeing one in action). They recommend approaching tyre dealerships, and even better – they should be free. As it’s illegal to dump old tyres in landfill, you’ll be doing them a favour by taking them off their hands.

This edition of the Letters Page is taken from the August issue of Grand Designs magazine. If you would like to subscribe for as little as £9 then head here to find out more.

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