Home Design
We have been involved in improving and updating residential properties for over 15 years. Our experience has ranged from terraced townhouses and mid century semi-detached properties, to individual stone built cottages and grade II listed country houses.
Every project undertaken has covered a wide and varied list of works:
- Designing floor plans and improvements to the layout, including extending the footprint when beneficial
- Re locating services and re designing lighting schemes
- Designing kitchen layouts and selecting cabinetry and fittings with both style and function in mind
- Liaising with architects and sourcing experienced trades people
- Looking to improve floor coverings and architectural aspects; restoring the original or introducing new
- Designing and introducing bespoke fitted furniture and storage.
- Designing cohesive interior schemes taking into account paint colours, soft furnishings, furniture, window dressings and decorative accessories
- Soft and hard landscaping around the immediate property
Case studies
The Second Hand Kitchen
The undertaking of a substantial kitchen renovation, forming part of the works for the Grade II listed house project (below), which apart from being a huge transformation in itself, is particularly notable because it features a fully refurbished second hand kitchen (although you'd never know!).
The original kitchen (housed in a former barn attached to the period property), was half the size, and awkward to access from the other principal rooms of the house. With permissions granted, the dividing wall was removed, and a supporting oak beam installed. The south facing window was removed to allow new painted timber French doors to be installed flooding the space with natural light and views across the gardens. Faux timber joists were added to the ceiling, and limestone floor laid with underfloor heating below.
A large kitchen fitted in good quality cabinetry can come with a considerable price tag, so to stay within budget without compromising on style and quality we were able to source a wonderfull deVOL Classic English kitchen; which consisted of a number of base cupboards, wall cupboards, an island, tall pantry cupboard and a dresser.
The kitchen cabinets, originally designed as individual, free-standing units made from solid timber were measured up and a new layout designed to suit the space and to make best use of what was available. Before fitting took place each cabinet was refurbished back to an almost new condition and painted with deVOL kitchen paint, and the original mahogany knobs re finished with wood treatment and coats of lacquer.
Upon fitting the team were able to cleverly turn the freestanding pieces into two runs of fitted cabinetry, installing a skirt along the base to hide the adjustments in height. Further adjustment were made to the island to discreetly house the dishwasher and fit the chosen style of sink, and to match, a canopy above the cooker to house the extractor fan was made along with a tray storage unit.
To complete the kitchen a combination of rustic oak and quartz worktops were installed, antiques such as the pine bar stools and pine shelfs, and a good combination of lighting for different tasks.
The Period Country House
A substantial Grade II listed house with cottage origins from the 17C, altered and extended mid 18C, and later linked to a barn conversion to form one property. A beautiful characterful home that had been less sympathetically renovated in more recent years and needed rethinking to make best use of the rooms available and their layout and flow, a more considered and cohesive interiors scheme that would better suit the age of the property and highlight the period features, and a considerable amount of remedial work.
Original features of the house were carefully restored such as stripping paint from stone mullions and removing stain from beams and floorboards. In the more modern barn conversion part of the home character was injected by installing natural stone floors, faux floor joists overhead, quality cabinetry and paint colours that harmonised with the older rooms of the house.
With listed building consent a newer internal wall was removed to double the size of the kitchen and achieve easier access to this large family/entertaining space.
A bespoke timber kitchen was installed (above), along with new utility room cabinetry. Bathrooms were replaced, along with light fittings and radiators, and new painted joinery windows and doors fitted over two floors in the barn gable end. A secondary staircase that's landing parted the master bedroom and small ensuite was removed, allowing the master bedroom to return to its original larger square size, and flow seamlessly into a dressing room and beyond that a generous new ensuite bathroom.
The Cotswold Cottage
A 1980's stone built detached cottage, well-built but in need of updating internally and with scope to extend. The property was refurbished throughout replacing the kitchen, utility and bathroom fittings, lighting, and heating, re decorating and installing new stone floors and carpets. A two-storey timber clad, and stone extension was added with oak post entrance porch. On the ground floor oak bi folds were installed, opening out onto a new raised deck seating area surrounded by further hard landscaping to create usable outdoor zones.
The Budget Town House
A small, mid terrace 'weavers’cottage' spanning 3 floors, originally built around the late 1700's, in need of full refurbishment with a modest budget. The property was cleared, and a number of repairs and remedial works completed where the house had long been neglected. The house underwent a full electrical rewire and new central heating and plumbing installed. The kitchen was redesigned to make best use of the small footprint, and cleverly fitted out making use of a second-hand kitchen. Equally the bathroom layout was significantly improved and fitted with a new suite, panelling, and tiled. Each other room was bought back to a good standard with new floor coverings and fresh coats of paint, ready for the new owner to make their own.
