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?

Interior design has an exclusive ring to it. It conjures up images of high-end designers sourcing the priciest of homeware products. Laurel & Wolf intends to change that perception with crowdsourced, collaborative and affordable designers. But could it really make interior design available to everyone?

Is 2015 the year we become DIY experts? What ways will digital devices continue to change the livingroom dynamic? Will we see a rise in ‘smart furniture’ and how will we cope living in shoe-box-sized apartments?

“I would rather live in a cupboard in Soho than in a mansion in Surrey,” says 50-year-old Vishnia. Urban retirees are embracing life after work as a chance to learn and explore. And owning 80% of the UK's net personal wealth, they can afford to. But what’s driving them to the city?