Clarence Road, Berkhamsted

Client: Private
Architect: Bespoke by Emma Ellson Architects Ltd.
Budget: undisclosed

Contractor: KBK Construction Ltd.
Structural Engineer: Derek Lofty Associates Ltd.
Kitchen: Harvey Jones
Glazing: HBD Systems Ltd.

Photo Credits: Aldcroft Photography

Home - Tanya Aldcroft Photography (aldcroft-photography.co.uk)

Traditional Terraced property in Berkhamsted Conservation Area.

Internal Refurbishment, re-model of ground floor layout to re-locate kitchen / dining areas and upgrade extension with new glazing.

 The project brief was to re-model the ground floor layout, to allow better use of the current space.

Our immediate response was to re-locate the kitchen to the current dining area.

By moving the kitchen to the heart of the home, the garden room could be re-purposed as a lowered dining / garden room with direct access to the outdoor deck.

Consideration of high end finishes was key to this project, and by replacing existing uPVC windows, which were out of keeping with the traditional property, in the conservation area.   We opted for Aluminium Heritage Style Glazing supplied and installed by HBD Systems to ensure high energy performance but with black crittal style frames to better suit the traditional aesthetic of the property.  Fireplace was removed to allow integrated hob, with extraction hidden within concealed cooker hood.

Internally, the Ground floor was stripped back to shell, with load bearing wall removed between the spaces, allowing open plan living to be realised between the kitchen / dining areas, which previously felt disjointed.

Underfloor heating was installed, external walls and floors were insulated, and the flat roof of the previous extension, stripped back and replaced to ensure a water tight envelope, to current building regulations before the new kitchen installation. Shaker Style Hand Painted Kitchen, supplied and fitted by Harvey Jones with Oak interiors and drawer finishes purpose built to conceal electric meter, washing machine and a purpose built cabinet created to house existing boiler.   Antique brass cabinet hardware, with knurled finish, continued in replacement door ironmongery.
Feature Pendant light fittings above island unit, with further task lighting integrated into the cabinetry. 

Flooring laid in herringbone pattern with Dowsing and Reynolds switches and ironmongery installed throughout to add to the high end quality finish, also seen in the pending light fittings.

New steelwork, was fire treated and remains exposed painted black to marry in with new glazing, with existing steel beam opened up and carried through the same way to allow ill fitting boxing to be removed and the entire space to work coherently.