In 2013, property prices in the UK increased by over 11%. Living spaces may be getting more expensive (and smaller) but new schemes aim to make houses better connected and personally serviced too. How are people and brands reacting to the changing nature of our homes?

No two families are the same. We’re all individuals, and our relationship with our relations is just as complex and unique. It’s not easy to effectively represent the ever diversifying face of the ‘modern’ family – and a bold attempt by Honey Maid has sparked fresh debate.

A lone diner in a public space draws judgmental onlookers, but with a third of people opting to live alone, is it really that weird? Strategic designer Marina van Goor doesn't think so, and she's decided to tackle the taboo by launching pop-up solo dining eatery Eenmaal.

Driven by an increasing sense of loneliness, the concept of a shared house is being adopted by Japan's young singletons. Yet with so many people in Japan struggling with social anxieties, how are these micro-communities forming?

Despite its collectivist traditions, Japan is seeing a rise of individuals who are actively rejecting the company of others. And from one-person karaoke boxes to solo restaurant booths, businesses are adapting to this unconventional customer.

With lads’ mags Nuts and Front publishing their final issues in April 2014, The Sun’s Page 3 under fire, and even the relatively more sophisticated idea of metrosexual man now an assumed norm, does the 'lad' still exist? If so, where can he be found? And is it worth trying?

It’s widely believed that women dominate household purchasing decisions – but while this was certainly once true, has it changed over time? In light of new statistics, more and more companies are gearing their offerings and marketing towards men. But are they reaching them?

For years the idea of ‘living alone’ was both unusual and undesirable. But this is changing. Canvas8 met with a group of single females aged 24-34 to discuss living alone, being single and how they socialise.