Allison Homes is bringing Halloween fun to new homes at Oakley Rise, Corby

We are becoming excited at Allison Homes this week getting ready for the opening of our new show home in Oakley Rise near Corby. And because we’re opening it on Halloween, the team chose a suitably spooky theme to entertain the guests.

Our new show home will give prospective new buyers the opportunity to experience a ‘real life’ version of their new home and includes features such as family rooms, open plan living areas, luxury dining together, bathrooms and spacious bedrooms.

Oakley Rise is a new development of 2, 3, 4 and 5-bedroom houses in Oakley Vale, Corby – a growing community combining the charm of rural living with all the amenities that the vibrant town of Corby offers. New Allison Homes properties in Oakley Rise are built to last using traditional brick and block construction.

Our Halloween-themed opening ‘spooktacular’ will give local estate agents, solicitors, mortgage advisors and potential customers a chance to see for themselves the quality and finish of Allison Homes’ newest development.

Oakley Vale is located on the south west side of Corby, Northamptonshire, close to some of the best schools in Northamptonshire. There are rural trails, woodland parks, traditional rural pubs and restaurants and tranquil lakes right on the doorstep.

Residents can enjoy the rural lifestyle and the superb arts, entertainment and shopping facilities of Corby.

To discover more about this new community visit www.oakleyvale.com.

Our new show home is open seven days a week between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Firework Night Fun

It’s that time of the year again when the nights have drawn in, the clocks go back and and we’re all looking forward to finding a bonfire and enjoying some fireworks, warming drinks and party food.

But do we all know what the firework fuss is about? Here are a few fun facts related to Bonfire Night:

• Fireworks were invented by the Chinese. As early as 200BC they were heating green bamboo stalks which would expand and explode. These firecrackers were used to scare away mountain men and evil spirits.
• Circa 900AD Chinese alchemists discovered gunpowder by accidentally mixing potassium nitrate, sulphur and charcoal.
• Modern firework displays use aerial shells filled with colour pellets. These shells were first developed in Italy in the 19th century.
• Until as recently as 1959 it was illegal not to celebrate Bonfire Night because it celebrates the failed 1605 Gunpowder Plot of Guy Fawkes and Robert Catesby.
• Before each state opening of Parliament, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars under the Houses of Parliament by candlelight.
• The first recorded use of fireworks in Britain was at the wedding of Henry VII in 1486.
• Firework rockets travel at speeds of over 150 mph and can reach heights of 656 feet (200 metres).
• China produces 90 per cent of all fireworks and exports them around the world.

Fireworks Night is a fun time. You may be  thinking about having your own display in your back garden. It’s always fun to have a family and friends round to celebrate. But remember - keep your family and pets safe this Bonfire Night.

Here are some safety tips from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA):

• Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable
• Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time
• Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary
• Light the firework at arm's length with a taper and stand well back
• Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks
• Never return to a firework once it has been lit
• Don't put fireworks in pockets and never throw them
• Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators
• Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire
• Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving.
• It is recommended that sparklers are not given to under-5s
• Make sure everyone handling sparklers wears gloves
• Hold sparklers at arm’s length while they are being lit
• Don’t wave sparklers about close to other people
• Never hold a baby in your arms while you are holding a sparkler
• When the sparkler has finished put it in a bucket of cold water.
• One person should be responsible for the bonfire and children should be supervised
• Choose a site away from wooden fences, sheds and where children will be playing
• Never pour petrol, paraffin or meths on to a fire - it’s safer to use fire lighters to prevent flare-ups
• Keep a bucket of water handy in case of an accident
• Avoid loose clothing and tie back long hair
• After the party, pour water on the fire, rather than leaving it to burn out.

For more on firework safety visit https://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/fireworks-safety/

And remember, have fun.

Home trends for 2018 to stand the test of time

Every year innovative design trends, must-have furniture and hi-tech gizmos come along to tempt us. Some of these – think wood chip wall paper – quickly date and need replacing almost as soon as you put them in place.

The latest kitchen tech, that you thought you couldn’t live without, ends up at the back of the cupboard a week after you bought it. Now where did I put that Breville sandwich toaster?

But there are some trends that may pass the test of time. Hot this year, they will be trending again next year and maybe for the foreseeable future.

Vintage – Some things never quite go out of style. Vintage clothing, accessories and furniture has been around for a while now. The trend for retro-styling will continue in 2018.

Bare surfaces – Bare stone or unpainted wood and brick wall surfaces will give rustic old-world charm or industrial warehouse chic to larger, open plan living spaces.

Terracotta – Bring some lightness into you home. Terracotta floors covered with rugs and mats with colour geometric designs will be the order of the day. Combine this with earthenware crockery and vases for understated Mediterranean style.

Customisation – This year has seen homeowners seeking bespoke solutions for their furnishing needs. Design to order will continue to trend in 2018.

Branches and twigs – Bringing the outdoors and natural world inside has been trending this year. Using natural materials, incorporating twigs, leaves and branches into creative interior design will increase in popularity next year.

Reclaimed and upcycled materials – Related to the vintage trend, upcycling tired old furniture and giving it a new lease of life has been a creative trend that has developed over the past couple of years. It is likely to continue in 2018 and beyond as the more frugal among us seek affordable but innovative design inspiration.

Connectivity – Wifi , faster broadband speeds and the developing concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) means that we have started to connect our domestic functions to our tech. We can control our heating and lighting from our phones while we’re commuting. Fridges can scan the barcodes on products and place grocery orders online. Printers can order ink. Wifi speakers mean we can listen to music throughout the home. The connectivity trend will grow in 2018 as more devices come online and digital assistants like Alexa become more sophisticated.

Two trends for 2018 according to the John Lewis Retail Report 2017 are:

Prints go wild – Cushions and throws are likely to be adorned with the colourful wildlife of tropical jungles as exotic birds and animals feature heavily.

Multifunctionality with Japanese styling – Minimalist style is on the up. 2018 is likely to see design inspiration coming from the arts and crafts of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Let’s see which of these stands the test of time.

Make your garden a wildlife haven this Autumn

The BBC’s Autumn Watch begins on BBC this week. The live programme, presented by Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and the team, continues to be popular viewing for nature enthusiasts.

One of the strongest messages that comes across from the enthusiasm of the presenters is that nature is not just something that you have to travel into the wilds to experience. Nature and wildlife can be experienced right in your own back garden.

We’re sure that many of you would like to encourage wildlife into your own gardens.

There are plenty of things that you can do in your Allison Homes garden to bring birds, small mammals and insects into your gardens. Here are a few of them:

• Create a refuge for declining species like hedgehogs, bats, sparrows and song thrushes. Plant borders with plants rich in berries. These will benefit wildlife and bring rich autumn colour to your garden.
• Introduce a water feature if you have room. This will encourage newts, frogs, dragonflies and pond skaters. It will also provide water for birds. Plant the edges with marsh marigold and purple loose strife to give colour and nectar for insects.
• Consider planting a hedge which can provide food and shelter for wildlife. Incorporate flowering ivy to provide food and shelter for over-wintering insects.
• Create your own compost heap. The decaying vegetable matter will provide a home for a myriad of invertebrates which will in turn encourage hedgehogs, slow worms, toads and centipedes which all feed on them.
• Make a mammal table. This is just like a bird table but it is for feeding small creatures like mice, voles and shrews. You could also create a mouse house or a hedgehog box. Find out more on how to create your own boxes and tables here.
• Provide an overwintering shelter for insects and small mammals. The Wildlife Trust has some handy hints on what to do here .
• Feed the birds. Put out a variety of foods on the ground, in feeders and on bird tables. Avoid rats by removing old and rotting food daily. You can put out cheese, porridge oats, raisins, stale cake, meal worms and sunflower seeds. When choosing a seed mix use one with a variety of seeds including black sunflower seeds. Nuts should be unsalted. Make sure they have the British Trust for Ornithology’s ‘safe’ kite mark. In winter, birds will also benefit from fat balls.

There are lots of things you can do to encourage wildlife into your garden and provide a home for a variety of birds and animals all year around. You don’t have to do everything. Pick from a menu of things and have fun watching what creatures come to your home.

Bookcase inspiration

Enjoy a read but stuck for book storage ideas? Read on!

The autumn nights are drawing in and the clocks are going back soon. As the evenings become darker and shorter we all become less inclined to go out. Now is a wonderful time to settle down in your favourite chair with a warm drink and a good book.

Lots of us like to hang on to the books that we buy. They make an excellent way to decorate your living room or home office.

But how do you store all those colourful hardbacks and paperbacks. Here are few ideas on things that you can do to store your books and enhance your living space at the same time:

• If you have a fire place with alcoves either side, why not fill in the space with bespoke floor to ceiling shelves painted to match your décor?
• Use modular shelving to create interesting patterns with your books.
• You could buy a traditional bookcase to match your furnishings.
• Use single shelves with imaginative bookends to keep your volumes in order.
• If you have a lot of books with plain colour spines, colour code your books in order on the shelf so that they match the spectrum to give you a rainbow of colour – red, orange, green, blue, indigo and violet.
• Use random unused spaces to insert book shelves - maybe under the stairs or even incorporate shelves into your stairs.
• Get a free-standing three-dimensional shelving unit that rotates or which you can walk around.
• Add some interest to your living space by using shelves constructed at interesting angles.
• Upcycle other items such as old wooden step ladders. Open them out and span shelving between the steps to create a quirky book or storage shelf.
• Cantilever shelves make an eye-catching addition to a contemporary styled room.
• More industrial in your tastes? How about re-using old warehouse racking?
• Take some natural material like a small tree trunk as a centrepiece and radiate shelves in rough sawn wood from it.

Can’t find what you like here and stuck for ideas? Take a look at Pinterest and search bookshelves for more ideas.

Trip the light fantastic

Diwali – the Hindu festival of light – started this week. As communities across the country celebrate the triumph of light over darkness it seems like an appropriate time to look at lighting ideas for your home.

Lighting is an often overlooked aspect of home decoration, yet light and how we respond to it affects our well-being in fundamental ways.

Light levels affect our moods. Poor lighting can affect our eyesight. It’s important to get it right both physically and aesthetically.

The choice of lighting options is enormous. Ceiling lights range from pendant lights to statement chandeliers. There are table lamps, wall lamps and floor lamps. Whatever type of lighting you choose it needs to be right for the room setting and your requirements.

Once you have chosen the type of light you want you need to ask yourself what kind of mood you are trying to create. Ambient lighting is ideal for everyday use in every room around the home. Add a dimmer switch to your circuit to create softer moods in living rooms and dining rooms.

Do you need lighting for specific tasks? Lighting can offer concentrated light to deliver the best visibility when you are doing jobs that require concentration. Desk lights are great for reading while kitchens will benefit from spotlights or wall lights that concentrate focussed beams of light into specific areas for reading recipes and cooking.

To add depth and a bit of drama to your rooms use accent lighting as well as ambient lighting to highlight key features of the room such as a favourite piece of art or ornament.

Once you know what effects you want to achieve with your lighting, you need to consider the type of bulb you need. Do you want LED, halogen or traditional incandescent bulbs? What kind of cap – bayonet, screw or pin – will you need for your choice of fitting? What shape do you want? What about energy efficiency, brightness and power?

The choice is bewildering. Debenhams has put together a handy buyers’ guide which you can find here http://www.debenhams.com/content/buying-guides/lighting-guide#intcmp=lighting-scat-lighting-guide

There is a vast choice of styles and shades for lamps – whatever the type. Here are a few more ideas from Pinerest and Houzz  that we are sure you will find illuminating.

Autumn gardening – top ten tips from the RHS

October is regarded as the 'last chance saloon' when it comes to getting regular garden maintenance tasks completed before the colder weather of winter sets in. Perhaps the most comprehensive set of tips for any gardening enthusiast is to be found on the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) website.

To help you we have listed the RHS’ top ten list of jobs to get done in your garden this month:

1. Cut back perennials before they have died down – don’t forget to put them on the compost heap.
2. Keep an eye on your hanging baskets – deadheading and watering could keep them going later in the month.
3. Divide herbaceous perennials.
4. Move tender plants into green houses or conservatories.
5. If you’re growing your own vegetables, now is the time to plant our spring cabbages.
6. Harvest apples, pears, grapes and nuts.
7. Prune climbing roses.
8. Finish collecting seeds for sowing next year.
9. Last chance to mow lawns and trim hedges before the colder weather.
10. Time to renovate your lawn by scarifying and aerating the lawn or laying new turf.

October is also a good time to plant any trees or shrubs or to lay a hedge. It’s also worth throwing some netting over the pond to prevent autumn leaves falling in. Tidy it up and remove any weeds and debris.

Now is also time to sort out any repairs to wooden structures like sheds, compost bins or furniture. Replace rotted wood and give them a lick of paint or wood preserver.

House price growth is on the up

House price growth is picking up, after an early summer lull.

According to the latest figures from the Halifax, annual house price growth has reached four per cent.

House prices in the past three months (July-September) were 1.4 per cent higher than in the previous three months. The Halifax says that this is the fastest price growth since February.

The average UK house price is now £225,109, four per cent higher than in the same period a year ago. The annual rate in September was higher than in August. House prices in general rose 0.8 per cent between August and September, down from the 1.5 per cent increase in August.

Halifax Community Bank MD Russell Galley told us: “The annual rate of growth has picked up for the second consecutive month, rising from 2.6 per cent in August to four per cent in September.

“While the quarterly and annual rates of house price growth have improved, they are lower than at the start of the year. UK house prices continue to be supported by an ongoing shortage of properties for sale and solid growth in full-time employment. However, increasing pressure on spending power and continuing affordability concerns may dampen buyer demand.

“There has been recent speculation on the possibility of a rise in the Bank of England base rate. We do not anticipate this will have a significant effect on transaction volumes.”

According to the latest data from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, there is a shortage of homes for sale which is impeding market activity, with the number of new instructions falling in August for the 18th consecutive month.

However, this tends to be affecting pre-owned property. The new build market seems to be more buoyant. At Allison Homes for example, we have a wealth of new developments in the pipeline in Boston, Colsterworth, Louth, Horncastle and Weston.

Visit our website regularly for updates on the availability of our new homes.

Halloween isn’t just for the kids

Have you succumbed to the increasingly popular Halloween trend, once only of passing interest to children and Americans? It is becoming increasingly popular with adults.

Are you thinking about hosting a Halloween party this October but you’re tired of the tat on offer in supermarkets and on the high street?


There are plenty of ideas out there to help you make your party go with a Spooktacular swing.

Keep things simple. Stick to a two-tone colour theme of orange and black. Introducing other colours will complicate the theme and make everything clash. Other two-tone themes to try could be purple and black or black and white.

There is a website called Not on the High Street which has plenty of interesting ideas to brighten up your home this Halloween.

Get creative with pumpkins. Use templates to create some vivid, eye catching carved pumpkin jack ‘o lanterns. There is so much choice out there now that you won’t fail to find something truly original.

Themed candles and orange painted jars, decorated with spook silhouettes, with night lights will enhance the mood.

Be crafty. Use wreaths made from natural materials such as a twigs or straw and decorate them with bat, cat or witch motifs cut from black cartridge paper.

Use gothic tropes; skulls, ravens, witches and ghosts to create some original table centre piece. Play soundtracks from old Italian horror movies – think Dario Argento and Suspiria or have your favourite Hammer horror showing in the background. If that’s not to your taste have some spooky classical music playing. Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre is a must.

Now that you have the decoration and the atmosphere taken care of it’s time to turn your attention to the food.

Go for a hipster horror theme. Serve offal-based food that adults would normally recoil from – think brains, tripe and tongue. What about devilled kidneys?

Perhaps you could serve steaks, nice and rare.

Serve some suitably spooky cocktails. If all else fails you can stick with the classic Bloody Mary.

Whatever you choose to do, remember to have fun!

Welcome to Allison Homes blog

Welcome to the Allison Homes blog.

Each week we aim to bring you stories and information on what’s happening at Allison Homes and in our parent organisation, The Larkfleet Group of Companies.

We will also bring you up to date hints and tips on home improvements, decorating, gardening and other 'lifestyle hacks' for everyone aspiring to own an Allison Home.

Look out for additional posts on quality home décor, seasonal entertaining and country living. 

The Allison Homes team will also be providing detailed information on the housing market in the local areas where there are Allison Homes developments - and lots more besides.

Bookmark our blog, sit back, relax and enjoy the read.