When I started out writing this blog (now over two years ago) I intended to both share my experiences and to provide advice to other people considering following a similar path. The advice has been a bit slow coming, but now as things are progressing I thought I’d start to share. Not so much hard and fast rules but my personal musings and accumulated wisdom.

new clean lines

Any old building will have a set of angles, curves and contours all unique and peculiar to it. Straight clean lines are unlikely to have been the norm when it was built (unless your building is a pristine example of Victoriana), instead an organic, contextually rich approach to construction is likely to have been prevalent.

When renovating a building with modern materials, building techniques, fixtures and fittings, we introduce precise, clean lines often in stark contrast to what has already been done. This is an opportunity to add layers of interest and character to your renovation if handled sympathetically. It is also an opportunity to respect and acknowledge the heritage and traditions that have gone before.

If sympathy is not shown, if new clean lines are forced in and stand alone rather than working with the building then the contrast will not be a harmonious and detract from rather than enhance the overall outcome.

mock tudor - concrete and softwood
(know where this is?)

Off course we can avoid this contrast, we can reject anything contemporary and seek out rustic or distressed materials and attempt to incorporate them in an original manner. But to me, that is missing the point. I prefer to be able to see the development of a building, recognise its different eras and see its history. The imposition of a historic look on a modern project too easily leads to the folly of artificial, non-structural beams or mock Tudor concrete and softwood concoctions.

If fresh, clean, modern lines can be made to work with the original more organic lines, then you’ll be heading toward a great renovation.

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