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CASE STUDY & VIDEO TESTIMONIAL
Cambridge Renovation – A voyage of design discovery
The owner of this stunning property in Cambridge embarked on a renovation journey that took her to places she had not envisioned, including the world of timber windows and doors.
This is a story about a renovation that combines Regency charm and elegant Georgian design with 21st century manufacturing, installation, and performance.
It is also a story about teamwork and multi-team collaboration.
Why replace old windows and doors?
However, a conversation with a local estate agent led her down another pathway:
“The estate agent said if I really wanted to improve the house, I should install new windows and doors.”
This was good advice; replacing timber windows with high quality, energy efficient ones can increase property values by at least 10%. They also boost kerb appeal.
What was the design process for the new timber windows and doors?
The client on this project had already engaged her friend Christopher Vane Percy, who is a leading Interior Designer and past President of the British Institute of Interior Design & International Interior Design Association. His vision for the property came alive once the decision was made to replace the fenestration.
“This gave me a blank canvas that I was able to design something around…I devised this concept to look back at the Regency era to do these Ogee Gothic windows with a Regency style canopy on the Ground floor” said Mr Vane Percy.
“I visualised the house could be turned from something quite ordinary to something rather special” he continued.
Working closely with Excell Timber Windows, Christopher provided a sketch of his vision and oversaw the various design iterations created by the team at George Barnsdale.
Christopher Vane Percy Sketch
Ogee Window CAD drawing
Ogee Window CAD drawing
“With your product, it allowed us a great freedom in the choice of what we wanted to do” Christopher remarked.
This creativity resulted in a stunning Gothic Georgian-style casement window for the upstairs of the building.
Regency period design meets 21st Century performance
The Georgians would have given their “eye teeth” for the modern high performance of the Regency style timber windows and doors on this project.
A range of flush casement windows were supplied with specially designed Ogee four centred arches on the top floor. These form part of the main aesthetic of the house set above the Georgian style Veranda.
Downstairs, further casement windows with simpler astragal bar designs and three new entrance doors complete the project.
In addition to this, two round fixed casement windows were incorporated, which required Excell to build special lintels. The round window downstairs floods light into the new kitchen, creating a special ambience at mealtimes throughout the day.
Excell’s timber windows and doors are fully double glazed and made in Britain. They are precision engineered in a state-of-the-art factory in South Lincolnshire. With industry-leading, tested performance that the Georgians could only have dreamt of, they are also guaranteed to last for 60 years or more with minimal maintenance.
Why choose Excell Timber Windows
A good friend of the owner, a property developer (BBA Developments) recommended Excell as a trusted supplier that they had worked with for over ten years.
The client initially found the process quite daunting, but the team made it an “amazing experience” for her. The attention to detail throughout and the way the installation was carried out was exceptional.
“You got these two wonderful people, John and Jake who were so efficient and delightful to work with… I was able to keep living in the house, having people to lunch and to stay,” commented the Client.
She continued, “I don’t think I’ve ever had such good people that I’ve come across in my working life.”
Why is teamwork so important on house renovation projects like this?
The windows and doors were part of a much wider renovation including new lime render, roof, guttering, the addition of a veranda, new kitchen, and a fully landscaped garden. Bringing all this together was part of the vision that the Designer and the Client had, and it was important to work as a team to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Mr Vane Percy said: “It works when you have people working together to achieve something, understanding each other, it makes working together a pleasure.”
A great deal of project management was undertaken by Sam one of the Directors at Excell.
“The designer is extremely discerning, and we went back and forth a few times with the design of the upstairs windows to get them just right,” said Sam.
Whilst the project took many months from initial enquiry to installation, it was well worth it. The result is a picture-perfect Georgian-inspired masterpiece that is, as the renowned designer Mr Vane Percy says, something quite special!
Product details:
Flush casement windows
Spiral sliding sash window
Round fixed casement windows
Entrance doors
Finished in RAL 9010 (pure white)
Hardware: Foundry Collection in pewter
Uw Value: 1.4W/m2K
If you are interested to know more about how Excell may be able to help with your own Timber Windows and Doors Renovation project, then please do get in touch.
We offer a free no obligation quote or you may prefer to book a visit to our showroom where we can show you a selection of the products and you can see for yourself just how amazing they could look in your own home!