more of the cottage renovation

Here are the latest pics of the Victorian cottage we are restoring in Pembridge.

This was the exterior back wall - now a huge opening to the new extension - all the brick work has been plastered and painted - an RSJ was inserted to create such a wide opening, but it was important that the new section was part of the kitchen and not just an addition.

 the photo on the left is the old kitchen, soon to be new kitchen. The photo on the right is the new bit, with roof lights flooding the old and new space with light.

leading from the kitchen is the stairs which have been stripped and painted. The walls of the landing were de-plastered, insulated & re-plastered.

the second bedroom has also been re-plastered and all the woodwork painted. The bathroom (right) has a new stud wall, but other than that is still a 'work in progress'.

 The main bedroom is lovely- very sunny and quite generous. I love the windows and window detail - Border Oak at our finest, if I do say so myself! We did consider saving the floor boards but they were too patched and so carpet is the way forward.

Window detail downstairs before painting - the moulding and beading a very delicious.

The new oak lean to extension will have French doors to the garden..........

and this is what you will find just beyond the garden..........(not Gabriel - the church!) We have replaced the rotten B&Q fencing panels with woven oak panels and there is a handcrafted oak gate to fill the gap.

Side of the extension is weatherboarded and painted

Stairs from the extension, towards the front door - you should get a view from the front door straight to the church beyond.

The Cottage has a  pretty remarkable location  - you can literally see the pub, medieval market hall, the village shop, the school, the church and rolling fields from the windows and are just a few footsteps from a network of really great footpaths, but yet away from the main road.

 Sitting room is pretty much complete - just a few bits to do. And the view from the front door to the new bit gives you a glimpse of the oak frame.

The garden is now ready for planting

The porch is complete - apart from the under boarding

So the externals are virtually complete - lighting, landscaping and a few odds and sods to complete

And now the tiles are down in the hall, kitchen and extension - looking amazing for not much money (about £15 a square metre)

The carpenters are back today to fit the French Doors and finish the T&G boarding, hang the internal doors, add bits of skirting etc. The Kitchen comes in May and Bathroom is already delivered. Probably a month or so of work to do and so I think I will leave the updates now until the completed reveal......complete with before and after pics!

The end result

So the NEC Homebuilding Show is over for another year. Here are some pics of our stand - a 4.5m x 10m hand crafted, cruck framed barn style structure full of lovely pictures, old fashioned printing press posters (my new obsession) rustic/industrial lights and possibly the best sofas ever.

We also re erected the garden room originally exhibited at RHS Chelsea - both the garden structure and barn are now for sale - £5000 for the garden building (would normally be in excess of £10,000 and has oak joinery) and £15,000 for the barn (would usually be £30,000). And we also have last years stand for sale - a gorgeous one and half storey oak barn (5m x 10m) which is a bargain at £15,000 (worth about £40,000!!) Clearance Bargains of an extraordinary nature - for more details contact Border Oak.

IT'S SHOWTIME!!!

This will be a super quick blog post........we are crazy busy getting ready for the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show at the NEC next week. If you haven't got tickets yet please call the office for free e tickets 01568 708 752.

Anyway, we have a completely new stand thus year which is both thrilling and nerve-wracking. So many things to order and plan for a frame that you haven't seen.......

We have had a few ideas and hope to meet as many of you there as possible to chat about self build and how Border Oak might be able to help.

 One of our more frivolous/fun  ideas includes making posters of the delicious quotes about Border Oak from the TV shows that have featured our houses recently - Grand Designs, Restoration Man and Building the Dream

And printing new postcards and new brochures

We have new designs to showcase, new products and new photos to display as well as a lot of new furniture to share.....come and flop on our gorgeous new sofas if your legs get a little weary.

And a quick cottage update......new windows are in

 Extension is being weatherboarded

Garden walls and steps have been built and lime rendered

The interior has now been insulated and also plaster boarded

A timber stud wall has been erected to take a radiator (rads a right nuisance I have discovered - underfloor heating is miles easier!)

And the windows have all been glazed and completed

Next week the extension is glazed and uncovered

And I had better start thinking of planting the garden.......maybe after the show though??

If Border Oak were to keep the cottage and offer it for holiday lets would any of you be keen to hire it? It is within a few metres of an award winning shop and tea room and so hot croissants and fancy coffee would literally be on your doorstep, if that helps persuade you? Would love to know if there was interest in a holiday let such as this as it might mean changing the plans for furniture etc.

But anyway - see you at the show!!