TIMELESS DESIGN. VELFAC windows will underline the aesthetic overall impression in both new and renovated buildings.
Blackheath
A House With a View
On seeing Richard and Wendy Grierson’s stunning home in Blackheath for the first time, it would be easy to assume from its contemporary design that it is a new building. But, there is more to this house than meets the eye and it is, in fact, a clever fusion of the old and the new.
The house was originally built in the 1960s by an architect, who lived in it with his family until Wendy and her family bought it and moved in, in 1990. Wendy loved her house’s location on the edge of the heath, with its superb views and, because it offered the greatest potential, they made the decision to build a new house there, on the fabric of the existing one.
Introducing Light
Richard and Wendy wished to bring as much light as possible into the house and take advantage of the superb views from the site. Having worked as an architect for many years, Richard knows the importance of using high-quality materials and skilled craftsmen – and he made no exception to this rule when building his own house, particularly when deciding on the windows.
“The windows are such an important part of the design, not only from the point of view of aesthetics, but also in terms of how the house works,” says Richard “and this house required windows that were made to measure and to fit into existing openings.”
“I needed a company that could make quality, bespoke windows and I knew I wanted to use VELFAC because I had used them before when I was in practice,” comments Richard. “When I got their prices, they were within our budget, I didn’t bother approaching anyone else.”
“But we didn’t make our decision solely on the basis of price, we were also attracted to VELFAC windows because we liked their appearance: the exterior frames are made from slim aluminium, powder-coated in gun-metal grey, which was our choice of colour; and the interior frames are made from lacquered pine. It is an added bonus that the windows are low maintenance and have a long design life.”
Richard and Wendy have been living in their ‘new’ house for seven months now and have found that it really works for them in every sense. They have managed to retain the soul of the original house by building on its “footprints”, whilst adapting it to suit their new life together. “The performance of the windows is exceptional and better than the building regulations required. The high performance windows also form an essential part of our overall aim to reduce energy consumption." says Richard.
