Gabriella Dyson

Gabriella Dyson

Interiors journalist and contributing editor

Gabriella is an interiors journalist and has a wealth of experience creating interiors content. She was Homebuilding & Renovating's former Assistant Editor and former Head of Solved at sister brand Homes & Gardens. She is a DIY enthusiast and a lover of all things interior design, often found in antique shops and reclamation yards (or simply browsing the aisles of her local B&Q).

She has a particular passion for historic buildings and listed properties. Currently, she is in the process of renovating a Grade II-listed Victorian coach house in the West Country. Gabriella studied Modern History at The University of Oxford before pursuing a career in journalism. She attributes her fascination with architectural heritage to her degree and the 'dreaming spires' of Oxford.

After graduating, Gabriella moved to London, where her first industry job had her writing for the Luxury London magazine group. Working across a range of premium titles, she honed her writing skills by composing articles for the home and lifestyle pages and conducting interviews with leading architects and designers, such as Timothy Oulton and Christian Liaigre.

For much of the past decade, Gabriella has worked as a freelance writer, crafting copy for national publications and renowned homeware brands. She served as the Content Manager for the ethical homeware brand Nkuku, assisting in shaping its tone of voice on its journey to securing B-Corp status. Additionally, she has lent her expertise to award-winning Southwest architects, aiding them in communicating their ideas to the press.

In 2019, she launched her own series of UK guidebooks and an online travel resource called 'The Maverick Guide.' Publishing these popular travel books has allowed her to collaborate with hotel and property owners, each of whom has ventured into renovation and interior design projects of their own.

At Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine, Gabriella was responsible for curating the magazine's home case studies and regularly contributes to the Homebuilding website.

Latest articles by Gabriella Dyson

exterior of self build with timber cladding and blue windows

I'm an architect and here's why eco homes need to pass the Blower Door Test

By Paul Testa published

Architect Paul Testa explains why new build homes need to take a Blower Door Test to measure the airtightness of their property and meet building regulations

Eco Homes
A closeup of an adult carpet beetles on an isolated white background

How to get rid of carpet beetles — and stop these 'woolly bears' coming back

By Gabriella Dyson published

Need to know how to get rid of carpet beetles? We take a look at how to identify an infestation and offer some natural ways to rid your home of these tiny pests

Flooring
Rising damp or wet root seeping up a white wall

How to spot wet rot — plus how to treat it according to a chartered surveyor

By Ian Rock published

Chartered surveyor Ian Rock answers the question 'what is wet rot' and examines some ways to identify and treat the issue before it damages your home

DIY
Hands pictured laying a parquet floor

How to lay parquet flooring: Our DIY step-by-step guide to laying a herringbone floor

By Pete Wise published

Pete Wise demonstrates how to lay parquet flooring on a DIY basis, including what tools to use, how to stick it down, and how to finish a parquet floor with wax oil

Flooring
Environvent MVHR ducting on a cross section of a house

Do MVHR and underfloor heating make a home more efficient? Our expert explains

By David Hilton published

Discover how the combination of MVHR and underfloor heating creates a comfortable living environment — and whether it'll ultimately be more energy efficient

Heating
A country kitchen with dark green cabinets and white wall tiles

How much does a kitchen renovation cost?

By Tim Phillips published

As one of the key rooms in your home, it’s worth taking the time to consider kitchen renovation costs and find ways to make your budget go further

Renovation
A tiny home with a large glazed window, timber cladding and shrubbery

Father and son build tiny eco home around an apple tree in their garden — that uses MVHR rather than heating

By Seán O'Connell published

Discover how a father-and-son duo built an eco tiny home in their back garden, requiring no heating and boasting gorgeous budget interiors throughout

Garden
A utility room with an exhaust air heat pump

What is an exhaust air heat pump and how can it reduce your heating bills?

By David Hilton published

Energy expert David Hilton explains what is an exhaust air heat pump and how can it cut your carbon emissions and reduce your heating bill by reusing 'waste air' in your home

Heat Pump
before image of stone garage

How much does a garage conversion cost? 7 things you need to consider

By Tim Phillips published

Discover the 7 important factors that will impact your garage conversion budget with our expert guide by quantity surveyor Tim Phillips

Garage Conversion
An orange rotary multi tool being used to sharpen some scissors

What is a rotary multi-tool — and what can you do with one?

By Pete Wise published

This is the all-in-one tool you need in your toolbox to finely sand, drill, cut and embellish your DIY and craft projects. Pete Wise explains all

Tools
Light grey outdoor decking steps lit up with lights and surrounded by garden flowers

Try these 10 decking steps ideas to take your garden decking to the next level

By Gabriella Dyson published

These decking steps ideas will help you elevate your outdoor design scheme and provide the perfect solution to link your garden levels together

Decking
A young woman cooling off using electric fan lying on sofa at home

What is the best fan for cooling both you and your home?

By Gabriella Dyson published

Here we take a look at the best types of fan for cooling so when the summer heat strikes, you'll know the best options to feel comfortable inside your home — without going all in with an AC unit

Home Improvements
A picture of Andy Stevens

I'm a builder and these are the questions to ask before hiring a tradesman

By Andy Stevens published

Homebuilding & Renovating's resident builder Andy Stevens explains how to avoid hiring the wrong builder for your project, and how to avoid problems before they emerge

Professionals
A thermal image of a house

What is a thermal bridge and how can it cause significant damage to your home?

By Paul Testa published

We answer the question 'what is a thermal bridge' and discover ways to design them out of your property to keep your home warm and cosy

Heating
A bright orange extension on a cottage surrounded by plants

How a crumbling cottage was transformed with a bright red extension and bespoke vintage finds

By Victoria Jenkins published

James and Minnie Vosper renovated their run-down cottage in North Cornwall with a bright red extension and bespoke finds from French châteaus and online marketplaces

Extension
An oak frame home with timber cladding and exposed red brick, surrounded by a green lawn

First time self builders save £130k on dream oak-framed home by sharing plot

By Gabriella Dyson published

For first time self builders LB Mills and Craig Holden, sharing a plot with friends brought financial and practical benefits. Here's how they made it work and a look inside the finished home

Timber Frame
A black cooker hood with led lights on a white kitchen wall

How to fit a recirculating cooker hood: Our expert guide with pictures

By Pete Wise published

A fume-free kitchen is only a few short DIY steps away if you follow Pete Wise's tips for fitting a recirculating cooker hood

Cooker
Inside a light-filled bungalow with midcentury furniture and dual vaulted ceilings

How this tiny 66m2 self build uses light to transform a challenging narrow site

By Gabriella Dyson published

How a narrow plot of overgrown land in North London was transformed into a light-filled, two-bedroom home

Self Build
A woman sanding a piece of scaffold board

Why this affordable hand sander is ideal for small DIY projects

By Gabriella Dyson published

This handheld sander made light work of my reclaimed kitchen shelves, and is perfect for small DIY jobs around the house

Kitchen
A woman steps down onto a long handled weed removing tool

The tool Garden Ninja uses to weed his lawn is on offer this Amazon Prime Day

By Gabriella Dyson published

Grab a bargain: the affordable garden tool that rids your lawn of weeds is currently on offer

Garden
A man on a garden lawn holds up a dandelion weeder tool

Why you should always get rid of perennial weeds before scarifying

By Gabriella Dyson published

The Garden Ninja, Lee Burkhill, explains why you should never scarify your lawn without first pulling up all the perennial weeds and their roots with a weeding tool

Garden
Pigeons sitting on roof solar panels

Solar panel pigeon proofing — how to stop bird poo and nests damaging your array

By David Hilton published

Don't let bird droppings negatively impact the performance of your solar panels. Here's how to carry out solar panel pigeon proofing

Solar Panels
A woman waters a lawn and flowerbed with a hosepipe

Drench or a quick soak? How long to spend watering a lawn

By Gabriella Dyson published

How much water does your grass need for the best results? Discover whether completely soaking your lawn or giving it a quick sprinkle is best with our guide

Tools
couple standing in a kitchen inside a modern barn conversion

Meet the couple who are living the dream in a remarkable Devon barn conversion

By Gabriella Dyson published

Andy and Sue Perrin have carefully converted a tumbledown stone barn in Devon, reinstating character through considered design

Conversion
A couple sat outside a red-brick, part oak frame and flint-clad house with outdoor entertaining area

How couple built this stunning oak-frame sustainable home on a £3k plot

By Michelle Guy published

Jamie and Madeline had to navigate a long and complicated planning journey before they could even begin building their sustainable home in Hampshire

Timber Frame
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