How do you get new cottages to fit in with the originals?
By building them in the same period style, using reclaimed original materials wherever possible. Or sourcing the next best thing; new materials that are as closely matched as possible to the originals. There’s plenty of reclaim yards around and books and websites to help with your research. Start by looking locally, as often that’s where the materials will have come from in the first place.
One of our proudest moments was working on the prestigious Holdenby Cottages. From day 1 our brief was simple. The cottages had to fit in with other buildings in the area. And they were mainly historical ones.
The key steps we took to fulfill the brief were:
- Choosing materials such as locally sourced stone with the same seams and graining
- Roof tiles including patterned band tile for a close match
- Sourcing classic window designs
- Using cast iron guttering to keep the look authentic
- Matching paint colours with the bespoke colours used across the estate.
The red paint mix proved particularly difficult as the pigments in the paint proved prone to discolouring in the sun. As a result alternative supplies had to be sought and key areas repainted.
Some six years later, the three new cottages that we built on the estate of Holdenby are still looking fantastic.
The three new cottages we built have aged and blended in so well that it’s hard to see which ones they are.
If you’re interested in visiting the cottages, you can find them in the grounds of Holdenby House.
Just in case you’re interested, Holdenby is a wonderful place to visit. Built by Sir Christopher Hatton to entertain Elizabeth I, Holdenby became the Palace of James I and the prison of his son, Charles I. Now a family home, the house is the splendid backdrop to a beautiful garden and Falconry Centre, where visitors can watch magnificent birds of prey soar over the scene of so much history.
