Galway-based artist Ciara O’Neill’s new kitchen was always going to be something special. With a degree in Interior Design, the contemporary artist has a real eye for colour, which features in many rooms throughout her house. So, when it came to designing her new kitchen, she knew a more muted, neutral palette would provide the perfect balance.  “I wanted to create a relaxed neutral space because the other areas of my home have vibrant pops of colour,” Ciara explains. However

David Connacher, Marketing Manager of West Fraser, discusses the benefits of engineered wood panels It is well accepted that the use of timber panel products began a century back when plywood was first manufactured in quantity .   Aeons beforehand, the E gyptians also came to understand the benefit of gluing sections of timber together, enhancing the natural strength of wood fibres by alternating the direction of the grain.  Today, as mankind struggles with huge population gr

West Fraser   has always been committed to being at the environmental forefront within its industry. The company promotes the benefits of sustainable forestry , w ith young, fast-growing trees being the lungs of Earth, breathing in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen during the day to help generate a healthy world in which we can all thrive . The company’s  well - managed stocks  also  provide the raw material for the company’s panel products.  As well as planting more trees

“ We’re not just making stone - we’re building trust, quality, and heritage that lasts for generations .” Nick Lantsbery, Managing Director, Haddonstone Managing Director Nick Lantsbery As Haddonstone approaches its 55th anniversary in 2026, Managing Director Nick Lantsbery reflects on the company’s performance, its people, and its plans for the future. Despite a challenging construction landscape, Haddonstone has not only maintained its position as a market leader but also s

As the annual SterlingOSB Zero/RIBAJ competition  celebrated its 10th anniversary, the 2025 competition entitled Powers of Ten, challenged architects to explore the principles of scale. Entrants were unrestricted by building standards and were free to play with the concept of scale and design a structure from competition sponsor West Fraser 's SterlingOSB Zero .    Pictured is West Fraser's marketing manager, David Connacher, and Steve McCloy This year's commended winners, St

ISO-Chemie’s thermal insulating and load bearing bracket support system has been specified to provide energy efficiency improvements to an Edwardian property in Oxfordshire. The move sees WINFRAMER units retrofitted as part of an initiative to bring the poorly insulated solid walled house built in 1909 in Oxford, up to current energy efficiency standards, providing better quality accommodation for the homeowner along with long-term cost savings.   Passivhaus certified and fir

The reconstruction of a rambling old farmyard close to Ely in East Cambridgeshire is making use of well proven Marmox Thermoblocks, specified in three widths as the ideal solution for tackling thermal-bridging around the building perimeter as part of a well-insulated design. Mitchell’s Barn is replacing a sprawling complex of dilapidated tin cowsheds and a rather more attractive oak barn which was founded on a plinth of Tudor era bricks. The original planning permission allow