The UK's Last Traditional Craftsmen.

The UK's Last Traditional Craftsmen

In 2017, the Heritage Crafts Association published a list of ‘Endangered Crafts’, which identified a heritage craft as “a practice which employs manual dexterity and skill and an understanding of traditional materials, design and techniques, and which has been practised for two or more successive generations”.

To highlight some of the people who keep these traditional crafts alive, The Goodlife Centre announced the first-ever Endangered & Rare Crafts weekend in central London. There will be eight heritage workshops celebrating crafts that are either endangered or taught by tutors with rare-to-find skills. It will take place at their studios in Bankside near Tate Modern from on 25-26 April 2020.

England's traditional crafts are in danger of disappearing, according to the few people still practising them. Clog makers, basket weavers and woodturners have practised their skills for generations but the modern world increasingly has few needs for traditional master craftsmen. Can the skills be passed on to the next generation before it is too late?

If they were to disappear, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to recreate the unique skills behind these centuries-old forms of craftsmanship. As makers of Victorian coving made in London with traditional methods, it’s important to preserve these parts of our artisan history.

Whereas some old trades have fewer uses now, such as swilling, or oak basket making, a skill native to the area around Coniston, in Cumbria, some have had some revival. The rise of microbreweries using traditional techniques has also renewed interest in traditional barrel making, reviving the employment of the UK's few remaining coopers.

Let’s hope these skills and others can be passed on to a new generation, and not be lost and forgotten. If you’re looking for traditional plastering and coving for your Victorian home, then get in touch today.

What Features Make A Property A Period Home?

What Features Make A Property A Period Home?

On the whole, the architecture of England is a mix of different styles, ranging from the stucco-fronted Georgian homes to the ultra modern developments and complexes present in every city. But what are the features that denote your home as being a period property? Victorian coving throughout your home could be a clue, so here’s a guide to other features

With UK house price growth undergoing a 14-month high, it could be beneficial to know how to best market your home, should you be considering selling.

The Georgian period spans from 1714 until 1830, with Late Georgian styles from 1830 to 1837. Properties built in this period were built to be spacious and comfortable, with grand proportions that emphasised a heightened sense of space and light.

It was typical during this era for the first two storeys to be occupied by the owner and their family, while the staff and servants lived on the upper two floors. This is why the rooms in the top storeys are usually smaller, having smaller windows and lower ceilings, in contrast to the elegance of the family home below.

Georgian properties typically had a noticeable feature, the appearance of a bricked up window, which was due to the window tax between 1696 and 1851. The window tax was the equivalent of income tax - the more windows a property had, the greater wealth of the owner.

The window was bricked up as a tax avoidance strategy, reducing the rate of tax that needed to be paid. After the end of the window tax, rather than reinstate the window, many owners decided to leave them as they were.

The style was very much based around symmetry, with the houses appearing rather plain, with simple facades. They were built with brick and stone, later with stucco, and sash windows were a constant feature.

The homes were typically three or four storeys, render painted cream or white on the ground floor during earlier period properties. They had a symmetrical flat appearance, with a balanced layout in the interior, and were often build around garden squares, as most did not have a garden of their own.

Cities such as Glasgow and Manchester have architecture with much stronger links to the Victorian period, to reflect the industrial boom during the reign of Queen Victoria. The gothic revival between 1837 and 1901 meant that homes built around then had a more asymmetric design, with pointed arches and elaborate patterns.

The majority of homes built before the Victorian period were owned by the gentry, or at least wealthy landowners, whereas wealth in the Victorian era was spread across society in the wake of the Industrial Revolution and houses became less grand and more accessible.

This meant that it was necessary to build more homes, which is why the Victorian period is characterised by rows of terraced housing on narrow streets.

Homes from both these eras were constructed for during quality and charm, and the enduring appeal of them is testament to this.

If you’re looking for Victorian coving and plastering specialists in London, get in touch today.

Tilstone House Stately Home Damaged In Fire

Tilstone House Stately Home Damaged In Fire

It’s always so sad to hear about damage being done to period properties of all shapes and sizes and it seems that Cheshire is getting more than its fair share at the moment.

Not only did Lyme Park have to close its doors in August last year because of serious flooding that damaged buildings, paths and roads right across the estate, but now the county’s Tilstone House stately home has just been badly damaged in a serious fire.

According to the BBC, 50 firefighters battled the blaze on Sunday (January 12th), with the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service saying it had spread to all three floors of the 19th century mansion.

Luckily, the house was empty when the fire broke out and no injuries have been reported, but the A51 at Tilstone Fearnall was closed in both directions by police, with water pumped up from the Shropshire Union Canal.

As for Lyme Park, which you may well recognise as the home of Mr Darcy in the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, it was the 17 acres of garden that took the most damage during the flooding, with planting, fences and paths all washed away.

We always hate to hear about properties being damaged, whether that’s through fire, flood or simply wear and tear over time. If you have a period property in need of restoration and need particular help with plaster coving, get in touch with the team here at Ovolo to see what we can do to bring your building back into the land of the living.

Pinterest Predicts Interior Design Trends for 2020

Pinterest Predicts Interior Design Trends for 2020

Those looking for plasterwork for their London home should consider the predicted trends for the coming year.

Each year Pinterest publishes its predictions for trends for the coming year based on the trends it has observed in increases in searches in particular areas.

Interior design is one of the areas that it covers, and here are the predictions:

Home theatres

This is one of the biggest potential hits for the coming year, with Pinterest observing a 368% increase in searches last year. Home theatres can be achieved with the introduction of specialised seating, large screens and surround sound technology, as well as adding bars and snack fridges to living areas to enhance viewing experiences.

Audio rooms

Similarly audio rooms are proving popular among pinners with audio rooms experiencing over 800% increase in searches over the past year. This is a great choice for tech buffs who want to listen to their Spotify playlists in style.

Garden rooms

Indoor plants have been a big deal, particularly among millennials, for a number of years now. They are set to be rebooted with a new trend for garden rooms which aim to bring the outdoors inside. Think conservatory style rooms with a focus on living greenery indoors. This experienced a 104% increase in searches over the past year.

Granny pods

Looking at intergenerational living? You aren’t the only one! Searches for Granny pods have increased 159% over the past year, with these end-of-the-garden based units proving hugely popular among many pinners.

A Guide To Plaster In Old Homes

A GUIDE TO PLASTER IN OLD HOMES

Understanding and maintaining the plaster in an old home is an essential aspect of owning a period property. Discovering what type of plaster you have, and how to go about repairing it will help when it comes to renovations. Victorian coving specialists in London can guide you!

There are plenty of reasons why you might be looking at renovations in 2020, whether you just want to breathe a new lease of life in to your home, or are thinking of selling, and improve your valuations and impress potential buyers.

Original plaster adds unbeatable charm and quality to a period home, the traditional lime and clay formulas have a soft appearance, full of character. It’s important for the breathability of the plaster to allow the old brick and stone walls to have the moisture within them evaporate. This helps avoid damp and condensation.

To help identify what kind of plaster you have:

•   Lime plaster is traditional in houses that pre-date 1919, but has been used up until the 1950s, until plasterboard and gypsum took over.

•   A pinkish colour would indicate a plaster bound with gypsum.

•   Off-white plaster is typical of a lime plaster.

•   A more earthy colour suggests an earth binder.

Look closely at the walls, as the plaster may have, or be hiding intriguing evidence of the house’s history. There could be decorative details and scheme, and wall paintings were typical of pre-Georgian houses.

If you’re finding that the plaster, especially in the ceiling, is cracked, loose, crumbling and flaking, or has completely missing areas, then don’t despair. Repair is often available rather than having to completely replace it.

If you’re in need of specialists to come advise you, or repair plaster coving and ceiling decoration, get in touch today to speak with one of our knowledgable specialists.

Lath and Lime Plasterwork

Unless you have a listed building or a period property, chances are that you’ve never heard of lime plaster. This is because other materials and ways of working came to the fore over time and saw the use of lime almost completely disappear in the world of plastering.

Young apprentices are often no longer taught these kinds of traditional skills, but given that we still have plenty of listed buildings in this country, and our period properties are only going to get older, it’s important that there are those in the trade who do know how to work with lime plaster.

Walls in some buildings need to be able to breathe, which is why lime may be a better option than modern gypsum plasters, which can result in condensation and mould growth if not used in the right places. Lime plaster differs from modern materials in that it sets quite slowly by absorbing CO2 from the air, but also in that it shrinks as it dries.

Traditionally, lime plaster would have been applied in three coats in order to ensure a flat finish. Before any work can be carried out on a building where the use of lime plaster is appropriate, it would be worth working out how many coats had originally been applied.

When applying three coats of lime plaster, the first layer is known as the scratch coat, because the surface is etched with lines to give the second coat more purchase. Interestingly, sand or hair is often added to the mix to provide tensile strength, helping to bridge over possible gaps if the plaster moves away from the substrate or if the building shifts.

It’s not always essential to use hair when plastering onto stone or brick but if you’re plastering on timber, you will need to use it as plaster doesn’t stick well to wood once it dries.

Another key point to bear in mind when working with lime plaster is that you need to keep the substrate wet before the plaster is applied. If you know you’re going to be working with a very dry or porous wall, you may need to make sure it’s sprayed down a few times before work can begin to ensure there is enough moisture in the wall for the plaster to adhere.

There are many benefits to working with lime, since it allows the building to breath and because it’s flexible and porous. That means water can escape from the walls of the building itself and if any fine cracks do appear in the walls, they’ll self-heal - unlike cement, which will crack and let water in.

If you’d like to find out more about lime plaster and renovating period properties in London, get in touch with us here at Ovolo today.

For more information on the history of lime plaster, check out the Building Conservation website now.

Top Design Trends For 2020

If you’re planning a home renovation project next year, you might be looking for some inspiration that will bring your interiors into the next decade.

House Beautiful recently spoke to a number of its New Wave designers to find out what they believe some of the top design trends will be as we move into the 2020s.

Textured art was one interior feature picked out by Tina Ramchandani, who runs a Manhattan-based interior design firm. She explained what makes this such a good pick: “I love art with dimension because it adds an extra layer to the home and it’s a wonderful discussion point.”

You could add texture to your home with decorative plasterwork, which will work especially well if you have a period home. Contact coving specialists in London to make sure you get a great finish.

Meanwhile, Caroline Rafferty told the news provider that homeowners shouldn’t be afraid of adding dramatic touches to their interiors. She said that she’s seeing more of her clients “take bolder strides and break the rules more”.

This can be in terms of brighter or bolder colour choices, or opting for unusual patterns or textures on walls, she explained.

While you might think that ornate plasterwork and coving only works in period properties, you’d be wrong. A growing number of Brits want these kinds of decorative touches in their new-build homes, with 77 per cent of those recently surveyed stating that they’d like to see period features in new properties because they love the look of older homes so much.

Plaster Mouldings

Period Features Being Added To Newbuilds

Period features are one of the most common desires from homebuyers, so much so that housing developers are adding faux fixtures and fittings to their newbuild properties.

Recent findings from national estate agent Jackson-Stopps revealed 77 per cent of Brits love the look of old buildings so much that they want period-style features to be included in their modern home.

The survey showed 80 per cent of those aged between 18 and 34 want old-fashioned charm to their property, no matter how recently it has been built, revealed Property Reporter.

Chairman at Jackson-Stopps Nick Leeming noted these statistics show “there is a clear demand” for period features.

He added: “A desire to live in historic houses that offer tall ceilings, ornately crafted features and elegantly proportioned rooms with plenty of natural light has always been in the British homebuyers’ DNA.”

Among the most popular features are bay windows, with 38 per cent of participants saying they would like this in their home. This was followed by extravagant detailing, such as open fireplaces and sweeping staircases, which 37 per cent of Brits desired.

Nearly a third (29 per cent) wanted a country kitchen, while 28 per cent would have liked high ceilings.

Indeed, according to interior designer Madeleine Latti, ceilings are one of the most important parts of a home and it is essential to consider their style carefully.

The specialist told Gulf News homebuyers should always check details such as ceilings when viewing a property as this will help plan the design of the rest of the room.

You might also want to consider cornice restoration in London if you really want to enhance your property’s period charm, helping its original features look more authentic than those replicated on newbuilds.