What Are The Most Sought-After Period Features?

London is not short on interacting buildings with intriguing histories, from the Elizabethan era properties of the City to the Regency, Georgian and Victorian homes that abound in West London neighbourhoods, London is arguably one of the best places in the world for buyers looking for a home with period charisma.

An imbalance between supply and demand for larger houses has driven up property values all across the UK, meaning it is great news for sellers, as it is impossible to build a new period home, meaning there is a finite supply of period houses, giving homeowners better prices on the market.

But what are the period features that could attract even more attention, and potentially drive up the value of your home even more?

Many people have been seeking out larger properties, but while the option to have a garden in London is slim, people are looking for properties with high ceilings, most regularly found in the typical first-floor drawing room or ‘piano nobile’ of typical Victorian and Georgian buildings. While ground floors can have good ceiling heights, it is the first floor that is most caught after.

Sticking with the ceiling, and the light airy atmosphere afforded by high ceilings, mouldings, architraves, original fireplaces and elegant staircases are also high on buyers must-have lists. Such architecture was typical of the Regency, Georgian and Victorian eras.

However, a well cared for period home with all the right features will come at a premium price, ad there are some considerations that buyers should take into account before purchasing a Regency home of their dreams.

Buyers wanting period features should look for well-preserved buildings within prime central London, particularly those that are white stucco, as these generally will provide the type of moulding, high ceiling and architraves common of homes built between 1840 to 1880.

Keep in mind that these buildings will often be listed, and the preservation and restoration can be rather expensive.

If you’re looking for experts in listed building restoration, get in touch today.

Renovated Draper’s Hall In Coventry Reopens For Autumn Events

The Grade II* listed Draper’s Hall in Coventry is set to reopen this autumn, after a £5m restoration project led by Historic Coventry Trust (HCT) was completed. It is a rare example of a Regency building in the city, which was heavily bombed during WWII, and was built in 1832, to serve as a headquarters for the Coventry Drapers’ Guild.

Previous to the current building, there was a medieval, and then a post medieval building on the site. The restored hall is in the Greek Revival Style, and houses a Ballroom, a Tearoom, and a Reading Room, which all have decorative plaster ceilings and chimneypieces. It has not been in use since its last function as a magistrate’s court over 30 years ago.

Dr Geoff Willcocks, Vice-Chair of HCT, has been working on the project for eleven years. He said: “As a heritage development trust, the purpose of Historic Coventry Trust is to restore the city’s historic buildings and put them back to work for the benefit of its people.”

He added: “Drapers’ Hall is a perfect example of how we do this. Empty and without a purpose for over 30 years, this building now has a function that will see it making a positive impact on the lives of those living in the city.

The renovated building will now serve as a home for Coventry Music Service and as an events venue. Bdaily reports that the acclaimed songwriter and broadcaster Tom Robinson will be among the first to perform at the restored venue.

Coventry is the UK City of Culture for 2021, and there has been a series of events celebrating the vibrant culture and heritage of this resilient area at the heart of the country. It is the second fastest growing city in the UK, and it has a diverse and youthful population which give it a unique flavour.

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Plans For Leeds Grade II Listed Building Sparks Fierce Debate

The renovation plans for one of Leeds’ most striking listed buildings have ignited a debate about how closely listed building restoration projects need to stick to the original design.

Thoresby Building, at 2 Great George Street in the centre of Leeds, dates back to the 1890s, and a development firm has published £18m plans to convert the former high school into offices and apartments.

According to the plans published on Leeds City Council’s planning portal, the building could be converted into ground floor office space, a basement residents’ gymnasium and 83 flats.

For the most part, these aspects of the renovation have not proven to be as controversial, especially considering other Grade II listed buildings have been converted into apartments, although some concerns have been raised about alterations to the internal structure of the building.

However, what has caused greater issues for the Leeds Civic Trust, as well as Historic England, is the plans for a three-storey glass roof terrace, which would allow for more accommodation and a communal area.

The bulky glass roof has been seen by heritage groups as a step too far away from the listed building’s design, and Historic England, in particular, argued that this aspect of the plan has a “lack of justification” given the potential alternative plans that could be put in place.

This could be a potentially serious blow, as consent is required when making alterations to a listed building under section 9 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, and the concerns raised by several heritage organisations could cause the plans to be rejected.

The plans are set to be discussed by the City Plans Panel with a decision expected in October.

The Top 16 Most Popular Period Features

Home and boiler insurance experts Hometree have realised the results of a study that reveals the most popular period features in UK houses, which includes wall panelling, ceiling cornices, and Victorian fireplaces.

There is always a lot of interest in period properties, especially in the capital, according to Luxury London, and with the #periodhomestyle hashtag being used over 30,000 times on Instagram, Hometree analysed which authentic period features homeowners are experimenting with, but few people will be surprised with the findings!

The boiler cover firm collated their list by sourcing multiple recurring references across a range of articles, and once they had found their top 16, they used the number of Instagram hashtags per trend to reveal which are the most popular with homeowners.

The top spot was taken by ceiling cornices, with over 211,550 tagged Instagram posts featuring the period feature that adds a decorative touch to the corners of rooms where the walls and ceiling meet.

With 148,410 hashtags, wall panelling came second, and timber floors with 11,337 hashtags grabbed third place.

A spokesperson for Hometree said: “Unlike shorter-lived interior trends, panelling is here to stay due to its timeless appeal, as well as being an easy DIY task to take on yourself. Timber floors are also catching on, giving your home an authentic look.”

Other sought-after features include Victorian fireplaces (21,119), ceiling roses (17,35) and cast iron radiators (15,0000). While many want to modernise their homes, it seems Brits still want to inject a little tradition, too.

Top 16 interior period features increasing in popularity

1.    Ceiling cornices (211,550 Instagram hashtags)

2.    Panelling (148,410)

3.    Timber floors (110,377)

4.    Encaustic tiles (63,589)

5.    Corbels (35,300)

6.    Roll-top bath (31,703)

7.    Skirting board (24,493)

8.    Victorian fireplace (21,119)

9.    Architrave (20,164)

10.  Ceiling roses (17,351)

11.  Beams (15,752)

12.  Cast iron radiator (14,516)

13.  Picture rails (11,453)

14.  Butler sink (8,098)

15.  Dado rails (4,568)

16.  Victorian floor tiles (4,567)

If you’re looking for experts in cornice restoration in London, talk to us today.

Manchester Town Hall Restoration Reveals Hidden Gems

Manchester’s historic Town Hall is currently undergoing a £300m restoration project, which is due to be completed by 2024. The thorough overhaul of the iconic Victorian gothic building in Albert Square is described by Sky News as ‘the biggest heritage project currently happening in the country.’

Originally constructed in 1877, the lavishly decorated building has been closed since 2018, as a parade of stonemasons, engineers, and conservation experts go over every inch of the exterior and interior. No such ambitious restoration of the Town Hall has been undertaken before, and there were fears that the much-loved building would sink into decline.

Crispin Edwards, a listings advisor from Historic England, emphasised the importance of the work. He said: "This is Manchester's crown jewel, it's a real icon of the city. But as well as that it is nationally and internationally important."

He added: "It's one of the best Victorian gothic buildings anywhere. It's part of the best civic complex outside of London, it's in the highest grade of listing and on par with buildings like the Houses of Parliament, the quality is the same."

The Manchester Evening News reports that the restoration has thrown up some secrets and surprises. For example, the ornate ceiling frescos in the Great Hall have air gun pellets embedded in their paintwork, which no one can quite explain.

Other unexpected finds include a brick arched tunnel below Princess Street, and a cast iron spiral staircase boxed off in the corner of the Lord Mayor’s chambers. More prosaic finds include beer bottles from the 1930s and 40s, a leather shoe, and Players cigarette packets from the 1950s.

Amongst the acres of steel and glass towers that are shooting up all over Manchester city centre, it is uplifting to see such careful effort, funding, and attention to detail being poured into this magnificent historical building.

If you are looking for lath & plaster specialists, please get in touch today.

Legal Race To Save Tudor Era Mantel From Listed Building

Stafford Borough Council is seeking a legal injunction to stop a £5m Tudor artefact from being sold at auction, arguing that doing so breaks the law.

Seighford Hall, a Grade II Listed Building in Stafford, had several Tudor-era fixtures, most notably a large oak overmantel believed to date back to Queen Elizabeth I.

However, auctioneers and seller Andrew Potter deny any wrongdoing, claiming that the piece was found on top of a bonfire, was infested with woodworm and was purchased properly.

However, Stafford Borough Council claims that listed building consent is required to remove the artefact, and claimed that the removal and planned sale breaches the Dealing In Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003.

If found guilty, Mr Potter could potentially receive a seven-year prison sentence, but the auction firm said the removal and sale were legal and they are considering legal action against the council.

A hearing over the injunction will be heard at Birmingham Crown Court to determine whether this is a breach of listed building consent, making the removal and sale a criminal offence.

Seighford Hall was constructed in the late 16th century, and like many buildings of this era was run as a family home until the 20th century, before becoming a nursing home and eventually becoming abandoned.

After lying derelict for over 20 years, the building was purchased by First Blue Group, which published plans for a major listed building restoration to convert the grounds into a luxury hotel and spa property.

However, due to the complexity of the timber frame construction, this restoration work is currently in the pre-planning phase as they survey exactly how much damage the two decades of emptiness has caused.

How London’s Architecture Is Recognised By UNESCO

As a city with 2,000 years of history and a global position as one of the world’s most prominent capitals, London has never been short of culture and heritage.

Nonetheless, there has to be something exceptional about a city that enables it to have no less than four UNESCO World Heritage sites. These are the Palace of Westminster, Kew Gardens, the Tower of London and Maritime Greenwich. The architecture is not the sole reason for this, of course - politics, horticulture and the point where east meets west are all part of it - but it is certainly a major factor.

This might be easily overlooked by residents and visitors alike, who might well - and with justification - see London as being as much a melting pot of different buildings as it is of people. Where else might a building as grand and historic as St Paul’s Cathedral stand close to a skyscraper nicknamed after something usually found sliced up in a burger?

Even so, it is worth reflecting on just how extraordinary this is and how important the preservation of London’s finest buildings is. 

At least one of these treasures requires some significant listed building restoration work. The Palace of Westminster is in the midst of a major restoration project, and at some stage the parliamentarians will have to decamp to another building while a major overhaul of the building’s interior fabric.

Anyone involved in looking after listed and heritage buildings will know the constraints they are working under to avoid altering things much, if at all. For listed buildings that depends on the grading. For UNESCO World Heritage, the stakes are even higher.

Indeed, that was demonstrated recently by the demotion of Liverpool’s Maritime Mercantile City, on the grounds that the character of the historic docklands was being lost due to modern new developments, including a new football stadium.

While London has some quite extraordinary heritage locked up in its bricks, mortar and stone, the Liverpool experience is a reminder that this can never be taken for granted.

Top Design Tips For Your Period Home

The love for period properties has been rekindled in recent years, with many people shunning the ‘boxy’ feel of new build homes for more traditional design. With sweeping staircases and properties filled with character, it’s easy to see why they’re so popular.

If you own a period property, and feel that you’re not making the most of it, or simply want to give it a refresh, we have some tips here to get you started.

Retain and refresh original features

Period properties have unique features such as window coves, feature staircases, or ornate fireplaces, and it is best to retain these features as much as possible to keep the character. You can keep the character of the grand sash and bay windows while adding more modern window treatments that complement the look of the house.

Keep it light

Period homes suit a multitude of colours, but a light colour scheme is a fantastic idea and will help it look sleek. Fresh neutrals and white shades can help make the most of the natural light, allowing the period accents and features to shine through.

Repair or replicate original flooring

Many period properties may have come with statement hardwood flooring or statement tiles, so why not try peeling back the carpet to see what lies beneath, which could be restored to its original glory. If not, invest in traditional style parquetry design or wooden flooring to replicate what would have been there.

Mix modern elements with traditional

When you have a period-style property it can be tempting to stick to the more traditional design elements. However, by mixing with contemporary accessories and furnishings you will create an effortlessly sophisticated and stylish space.

Modern vases, rugs and contemporary art will all look great in a period style property. If you have high ceilings, invest in a modern statement chandelier or lighting feature, it will elevate the space.

If you’re looking for coving specialists in London, talk to us today.