Last week I attended the Listed Property Owners’ Club Exhibition at Olympia London, an event dedicated to the care, conservation and future of historic buildings.

For owners of listed and period properties, heritage design is rarely straightforward. Regulations evolve, approved materials change, and best practice continues to develop as research deepens our understanding of historic fabric. Staying closely connected to this world is a vital part of how I support my clients.

One of the most valuable aspects of the exhibition is the programme of expert-led talks. These cover everything from recent changes in planning and conservation guidance to emerging approaches to sustainability in historic buildings.

For clients, this means advice that is current, informed and realistic. Understanding what is permissible, and what is not, at the very start of a project can save time, cost and frustration later on. It allows designs to move forward with confidence rather than uncertainty.

Historic buildings and period properties require a very different approach to modern construction. Breathable finishes, appropriate insulation, traditional materials and sympathetic detailing all play a crucial role in protecting a building’s long-term health.

Events like this allow me to see new and specialist products firsthand, speak directly to manufacturers, and assess whether they are genuinely suitable for heritage use, not just marketed as such. That knowledge feeds directly into specification decisions on client projects.

Good heritage design relies heavily on craftsmanship. Meeting and maintaining relationships with skilled trades, from joiners and plasterers to metalworkers and conservation specialists, is essential.

By speaking directly with craftspeople who understand traditional buildings, I can recommend solutions that are practical, sensitive and grounded in experience, rather than theoretical design alone.