Beautiful made-to-order wooden windows and doors by Lomax + Wood have been incorporated into the elegant design of a new-build property in rural Essex. Located in a small village in the north east of the county in the Stour Valley, the property has been built on the land of the couple’s previous property, and inherits its name from the original farm house and converted tythe barn in the same lane.
Home to Rob and Sarah, the design of this single storey property takes a New England design theme, a particular favourite of the owners. “We love the New England look and wanted to create a property that could accommodate traditional building materials while achieving a contemporary yet cosy and comfortable atmosphere,” says Sarah.
“Although the property isn’t in a conservation area the northern part of the Parish lies within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with views near the church that inspired many of John Constable’s paintings,” comments Rob. “Although planning was fairly straight forward it was to our benefit that we required permission for a single storey bungalow on this site rather than a two-storey property which would have been more difficult.”
“Planning permission was given for a four-bedroom property but we decided to have three larger rooms instead, all with en-suite facilities, so we compromised and sacrificed one of the bedrooms and we are pleased we made that decision,” says Sarah. “We have a large, open plan kitchen-diner-lounge and from every window we are surrounded by beautiful views. We are very happy and comfortable here and it was worth the 13-month build.” Rob and Sarah managed the build themselves and didn’t employ a main contractor. “We were hands on throughout and had to make a huge amount of major decisions which can be very daunting,” confesses Rob.
The couple briefed their architect to use timber, brick, render and oak to achieve their vision. “We could have used cheaper alternatives but we decided that we would be more likely to love a property that incorporates high quality, high performance traditional materials,” says Rob. The design incorporates spacious hexagonal shaped modules: one accommodates the lounge and overlooks the drive, the other an attractive master bedroom with views of the garden. Edwardian-style timber box sash windows from the Kensington & Chelsea range by Lomax + Wood feature heavily throughout the property allowing maximum light to fill the rooms from every angle. Partly glazed open-out French doorsets, one with an overhead fanlight for extra height and drama, have also been specified.
Ideal for both new build and conservation area work the Kensington & Chelsea range offers a comprehensive collection of high performance wooden sash windows; beautiful flush timber casement windows; single, bi-folding, French doorsets and timber entrance doors in a variety of designs and architectural styles. Only high quality clear grade timber is used in the manufacturing process which is engineered for maximum strength and stability; it is sustainably sourced, FSC® Chain of Custody accredited timber in accordance with BM TRADA certification. These high performance products have exceptional U-values that meet current Part L Building Regulations’ that will help to reduce energy consumption and resulting CO₂ emissions.
Security is a major issue for Rob and Sarah and it played a large role in the specification of the Kensington & Chelsea products. “Having been on the receiving end of an ‘unwanted visitor’ in a previous home it is an experience you don’t easily forget,” reflects Sarah. “We can keep the windows open a little without any concern as they have been designed with a self-engaging top sash lock and an angel restrictor. With so many windows and French doors, and all at ground floor level, this gives us great reassurance.” These premium quality timber windows and doors have been tested to meet the rigorous security requirements for Part Q of the new Building Regulations.
Products are delivered to site and factory-finished with three coats of highly durable micro-porous paint as standard, which is available in white and a choice of fashionable heritage colours, as well as stain and dual colour. “The dual colour paint option was a revelation for us and we chose RAL 9003 internally, for ease of interior decoration, and RAL 9001 in cream externally to coordinate with the timber cladding,” says Sarah. “We feel that our windows and doors are unique to us and we had no idea this service was available so we have Lomax + Wood to thank for this facility.”
Sarah concludes: “The service provided by Lomax + Wood was excellent and we are grateful to a friend who introduced us initially. The company provided lots of helpful advice and the few issues we had were dealt with quickly and professionally. We shall certainly recommend Lomax + Wood after the experience we received.”
Lomax + Wood provide premium quality timber windows and doors that combine acoustic, thermal and security performance with stunning aesthetics that enhance both new and traditional projects.
Lomax + Wood also offer a high performance range of contemporary products, including tilt turn and alu-clad options, to satisfy the demand to meet today’s smart, contemporary architecture.
