The role of the home and the way it might be managed in the future have been debated by international experts from the fields of architecture, interior design, business studies and home-making. Delegates from more than a dozen countries gathered at London's QEII centre to answer the question: what makes a house a home?

Organised by the Home Renaissance Foundation and opened by Sir Bryan Sanderson, contributors included a Swedish mother-of-four who has made home-making into a multi-million pound business and a Spanish professor who asks whether running a home should be recognised as a profession.

Home base

Launching the conference Sir Bryan said the looming recession could actually provide a boost for the home. "It's counter-cyclical, like chocolate or biscuits, they become more important to people during hard times." The author, broadcaster and writer Charles Handy, agreed: "Recession will force us back to the… click here to read whole article and make comments