Continuing our series on the building materials that make old houses so special, Roger Hunt looks at the tradition of the fireplace and meets some restoration specialists in south London.
Staircases are often overlooked but are integral to a house’s history, says Roger Hunt as he considers the care and repair of originals, plus the skilled reproduction of period styles.
The story of stone is the story of building traditions over the last thousand years. Roger Hunt assesses the impact of this ancient material on our domestic lives, and visits a working quarry in West Sussex.
Armed with expert knowledge, old buildings guru Marianne Suhr casts her eye over a gracious 18th century home that has been plagued by high levels of unwanted moisture – and presents a plan to eradicate them for good. Plus a checklist to help you determine your damp spots.
Using plenty of imagination and creative flair, Fiona Ireland has given this farmhouse a sophisticated feel inspired by French country style. Her colour scheme is consists of soft greys, which provide a lovely backdrop for pretty fabrics and sparkling accessories.
The thoughtful room-by-room renovation of their Georgian family home is an absorbing project for artist Simon Casson and his wife Sheridan. The couple have managed to retain some of the property's original period features and replace those beyond repair with reclaimed pieces.
We have an enduring love affair with Georgian homes – so why do many of the attempts at “Georgian” style on our housing estates look so wrong? This book offers 17 of the finest examples of new homes built in a Georgian style and offers advice on how to get it right.
Historian and television presenter Dan Cruikshank took painstaking care to preserve as many of the original features as possible in his renovated Georgian town house in London. Here, he offers his advice on how to renovate a historic property and ensure that it maintains its heritage. Plus he shares the history of Spitalfields, the area of London his home is located in.
The city of Rochester boasts many building gems, among them Minor Canon Row, one of the finest examples of 18th-century English domestic architecture. Caroline Wheater visits the recently revived landmark.
Team Building Pamela and Jason Crawley and their son James have worked together to restore a Georgian farmhouse. A passion for authenticity ensured this project won Best Country House in our Readers’ Awards 2011.
Historian and television presenter Dan Cruikshank has employed a very sensitive approach to the renovation of his Georgian townhouse that respects and preserves its heritage. Dan was passionate about preserving original features and has added further character to the property by decorating with a diverse range of furniture and accessories that he has collected over the years.
Sandy and Peter Borchert are experienced renovators who transformed a Georgian townhouse with a Victorian extension and Edwardian modernisations into the ideal home for their family.
In many ways, original period doors and window frames are just as valuable as antique furniture, says Roger Hunt, and are heirlooms in their own right. Here's some expert advice on how to maintain original doors and windows in period houses.
Tim Lowe’s passion for conservation led him to discover an elegant Georgian house in Carmarthenshire and restore its long lost character. The Grade II listed, five-bedroom house now has many of it's original features, including panelled walls and freshly-painted exterior woodwork.
