A Classical Entrance Portico

Widely used in Ancient Greece the idea of a portico on classical buildings has influenced many design cultures since.

The addition of a portico to this award winning house in Wiltshire adds depth and interest to what could otherwise be a ‘flat’ elevation. The signification of the entrance helps draw the eye visually and practically provides a covered place to stand while the door is opened. Simple, elegant and effective.

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Proportion & Symmetry, Historic Homes, Interiors Danielle Cope Proportion & Symmetry, Historic Homes, Interiors Danielle Cope

The Proportions of a Room

Getting the proportions of a room feeling comfortable sometimes requires lateral thinking.

This extension to a Grade II* listed country house had a low roof, but the size of the room demanded a high ceiling to feel proportionally correct. A large cover and floating central ceiling section add interest and height but disguise the hidden structure behind.

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The Importance of Setting

Houses don’t exist on their own, they have a setting and this can be as important as the building when trying to get things ‘just so’.

For this project in the North Downs we were lucky enough to not just design the building but also the landscaping to ensure that both house and garden worked in harmony. Here you can see a parterre, the herringbone brick terrace and in the background the circular lawn.

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An Extension to a Listed Country House

Selection of materials when working of conservation projects is critical. Specify the wrong product and the whole building runs the risk of looking like an unworthy addition to the site.

The Grade II* listed country house in the Test Valley has had carefully selected handmade roof tiles to add a subtle variation and character to the roof plane, a specially selected mix of handmade bricks and carefully crafted timber French doors, all expertly executed by Moulding The Builder. The result is a worthy addition to this historic family home.

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Restoration, Historic Homes, Barn Conversion Danielle Cope Restoration, Historic Homes, Barn Conversion Danielle Cope

Retaining Character

We consider ourselves very lucky to work on some beautiful barns. A key principle we adopt is to ensure that wherever possible the building keeps its character and still retains a barn like quality rather than that of a regular house.

Our scheme for this Grade II listed barn in Wiltshire carefully exposed the historic timbers in the former hay loft to ensure the buildings history could still be read. Careful placement of elements ensured we could incorporate the office and home cinema the brief required, without compromising the listed structure.

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Restoration, Historic Homes, Shopfronts Danielle Cope Restoration, Historic Homes, Shopfronts Danielle Cope

Reworking and Restoring Shopfronts

We don't only work in the country; our projects often take us into the town.

This project in a Conservation Area reworked a former car dealership in a pair of Grade II Listed buildings dating back to the late 1700s/early 1800s. The key move was to treat both buildings as separate, removing the unattractive and awkward 1970s single frontage and replacing with two new timber shopfronts more in keeping with the style of the individual buildings.

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