Selfbuilder & Homemaker – July – August 2019

As part of its strategy to expand beyond its retail offerings, John Lewis &
Partners has announced its plan to bring its two home improvement services
businesses together to create a “21st century home improvement proposition”.
The plans, which combine Home Solutions and Opun, are in line with the
company’s ambition to “enhance its Home Services offer and extend into home
improvement”. It hopes that as a re sult its customers will “benefit from an end-
to-end home improvement service including inspiration, design, project
management, and execution”.
Home Solutions allows customers to source and book “trusted tradespeople” for a range of home improvement services. It
currently operates within JLP Ventures, a team within the John Lewis Partnership, and is “steadily rolling out across the country,”
having expanded its coverage to Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent in the past few weeks.
Opun, which manages large scale home improvement projects, was acquired by John Lewis Partnership in June 2018 and
has been operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Since the acquisition, Opun has been focusing on refining its business
model, strengthening its team and developing its service technology, while “continuing to deliver high quality home
improvement projects”.
The change brings both businesses together within the Services directorate of John Lewis & Parters, which the company says
will “capitalise on the complementary capabilities in each”.
Commenting on the news, Sean Allam, partner & director, Services at John Lewis & Partners said: “Last year’s acquisition of
Opun demonstrated our ambition in the home services market and this announcement marks a critical next step as we look to
strengthen and grow our services business. Bringing the teams together is an exciting opportunity to work collaboratively, share
knowledge and collectively learn in the fast-paced home improvement market and create opportunities for growth.”
Rob Brown, co-founder of Opun said: “Joining the John Lewis Partnership has been an exciting move for Opun, especially now
we are combining with Home Solutions. We know the two business stand for the same values – putting customers first and
delivering a world-class service. We know there are great opportunities which exist in the home improvement market, so it’s
exciting to be stepping into the next phase as one business.”

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced

the longlist for the 2019 House of the Year.

Among the 20 projects in the running to win the award for a

new house or extension are:

• A cork-built home in the grounds of a listed mill in
  Berkshire


• A highly-sustainable Passivhaus in East Sussex


• A new home occupying the footprint of two garages in
  Kensington, London


• A converted arts and crafts stable block in Llanhennock

The 20 longlisted homes are:

• Black House (Armadale, Isle of Skye) by Dualchas


• Cork House (Berkshire) by Matthew Barnett Howland with
  Dido Milne & Oliver Wilton


• Earl’s Court House (London) by Sophie Hicks Architects


• The Ghost House (Stratford-upon-Avon) by BPN


• The Green House (Tiverton) by David Sheppard Architects


• Hampshire House by Niall McLaughlin Architects


• Hannington Farm (Northamptonshire) by James Gorst
  Architects


• Hill House Passivhaus (East Sussex) by Meloy Architects


• House in a Garden (London) by Gianni Botsford Architects


• House Lessans (Saintfield, Northern Ireland) by McGonigle
  McGrath


• Kenwood Lee House (London) by Cousins & Cousins
  
  
  • Lark Rise (Buckinghamshire) by bere:architects
    
    
    • Max Fordham House (London) by bere:architects
    
    
    • Nithurst Farm (We st Sussex) by Adam Richards Architects
    
    
    • Pocket House (London) by Tikari Works
    
    
    • A Restorative Retreat (Sartfell, Isle of Man) by Foster Lomas
    
    
    • Secular Retreat (Devon) by Peter Zumthor & Mole
    
    
    • Silver How (Llanhennock, Wales) by Hall + Bednarczyk
    
    
    • South London House (London) by Jonathan Pile
    
    
    • Stackyard (Derbyshire) by James Boon Architects
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

The shortlist and winner of the 2019 RIBA House of the Year

will be revealed in the fifth series of Channel 4’s Grand

Designs: House of the Year TV series airing later this year.

John Lewis launches

‘end to end’ home

improvement service

Longlist for RIBA House of the Year 2019 announced

NEWS

8 http://www.sbhonline.co.uk july/august 2019

Black House © David Barbour