Images Ⓒ Green Circle Bespoke Glazing www.greencirclewindows.com
“ This 20th-century property was in need of extensive renovation. The client’s fanatical eye for detail, and creative concept for design has resulted in a striking project that contrasts old and new!”
This very old and tired property was in urgent need of some TLC ! Our clients wanted to create an ideal family home, but the location was of utmost importance. With all of their children commuting to schools in Plymouth, it was important to still be close to the city. This location offered the perfect spot for the home, set within the peaceful moorland but with good infrastructure links to Plymouth.
The Challenges
The design was definitely one of the biggest challenges for the clients. They discussed and drew alongside their architects (Design Development Ltd – https://designdevelopment.co.uk/) how they could achieve the creative design they were looking for.
They really wanted to get more light into the property as the original windows were small, and a large amount of small rooms made it dingy inside.
When the clients had finalised the design, they had made some of the apertures quite large. We needed to consider all of our systems and choose ones that we knew would give the structural integrity in such huge spaces.
Further to this, the clients needed to ensure that the modern design seamlessly linked with the main house. The contrast was key, and they needed to make sure it was a clear representation of the old and new. The idea they came up with was a glass link corridor. Green Circle would need to find a way to make this work – Should it be fixed, or would it be better to be able to open up the link and have an open-air passage in the summer months?
Being high up on Dartmoor, exposure was a factor that needed to be considered. The property offered excellent views of the countryside, but being so elevated meant that it was often battered with wind, snow and rain come the winter months! We wanted to ensure that the clients would be able to stand in the middle of the room and watch a ferocious storm outside whilst staying warm and dry!
Of course, with large amounts of glass you can come across other issues. One of these is what we like to call the Greenhouse effect! In the summer months, large amounts of glass let more light in and subsequently more heat. The clients were concerned that this area could get too hot and so we needed to think of a way for them to still achieve the large glass areas but also keep a sensible temperature inside.
The Solutions
This interesting, conceptual design made for a brilliant project for us to get involved in. We were keen to provide solutions that would suit the family lifestyle and give them the living space they were hoping for.
The main element of the project was the lounge/diner living space that featured at the back of the property. This would become a large entertaining space which they would regularly use to entertain friends and family.
We were able to utilise a number of our product ranges to maximise this space and in fact, I think they must have used an element of every single system across the entire project!
The bifold doors would prove important, as they allowed the clients to open up this space to their landscaped garden. This would provide a brilliant opportunity for alfresco entertaining. We were able to provide very large bifold doors that the clients could easily manage, and the magnetic stops on the 3 panes meant that they could easily use one as an access door when needed.
We decided, with the clients, that a fixed link to the house with a proper roof was the best option. This meant they could utilise our Premium Screen Walling system to link the areas beautifully. We then opened this up on the diagonals with Premium Sliding Doors, which they have since told us, are the most useful doors on the property!
In order to ensure that the products were the best suited for the location, we triple-checked all of the weather ratings and ensured they had no opening inward products. On the most exposed elements, we advised the clients to go fixed or have sliders as these are the highest rated products in terms of weather ratings. The clients took this on board and subsequently have had no leaks or issues after several robust winters!
We were, of course, keen to ensure that the client’s internal living space was just as usable in the summer as it was in the winter. They were able to use double glazing, therefore not compromising their views, and in some elements, solar control glass was considered to reduce the solar gain.
Further to this, we supplied integral blinds to some of the products in direct sunlight. This meant that they could use these to protect furniture in the midday sun and to reduce heat gain in the room.
The Results
Light has been injected into the house and they now have a light and spacious living area for the whole family to enjoy. The house has the unique character that the clients wished for, and is positioned in a beautiful yet practical location.
The windows and doors have stood up to several seasons and allow the clients to maximise the potential of the living area – be it enjoying a glass of red on a cosy Friday evening or a bustling Sunday with friends and family.