Bloemfontein Avenue 11

This house was in a pitiful state when we found it. The bay window had gone, replaced with a picture window. The front garden had been converted into a parking space (which was not large enough to fit a conventional car). All windows had been replaced with poor quality aluminium. Brick walls had been rendered or painted.

Internally, all original features had been lost. We gutted the entire house. The bay window was re-instated with an exact replica of the original. We prepared detailed drawings, and the stonework contractor made rubber moulds of the capitals and details from a neighbour’s house.

We re-planned the functions, placing the kitchen in the front room, close to the entrance, looking onto the street (which is quiet and pleasant). This allowed us to form a large reception room across the full width of the rear of the house, with bi-folding French door opening onto the garden.

New doors, windows, cornices, architraves and skirtings were made to match the originals.

A new bedroom with bathroom was built into the loft. To add character, we lined the entire loft bedroom in painted beaded tongue and groove boards. It feels a little like a cabin – rather than a bland box, like many loft rooms. The compact ensuite bathroom has glazed pocket sliding doors for the rare occasion they are necessary. For the remainder of the time, light and air flow through, from front to back.