Friday 1 May 2015

CAD Architects, Truro, Cornwall: ‘The English Home’ May 2015 Feature - Victoria House, Portscatho

There is a lovely piece about Victoria House in Portscatho featured in this month’s issue of ‘The English Home’.

We recently refurbished and extended this 1850’s Grade II listed end of terrace house which at one time was actually two cottages. The brief was to give the much-loved Cornish home a new lease of life by providing more space and additional light as well as giving it a modern makeover.
It was time to say goodbye to the lean-to kitchen and the unreliable storage heaters and say hello to a cosy informal snug and light-filled rooms.

After extensive negotiations with the Conservation Officer, Planning and Listed Building Consent was granted and Cathedral Builders were appointed to carry out the renovation work. What followed was nine months of construction work. It was a big upheaval for the clients but they have told us that it was all absolutely worthwhile!

The two sitting rooms to the front of the property have been retained to the front of the house and the back of the house has been completely transformed. To the rear of the building was once a single storey outbuilding with a kitchen and utility area which was detached from the main building by an open passageway which was originally a right of way across the rear of the terrace.
 
The main building had undertaken alteration works in the 1950’s when the rear lean too roof structure was replaced with a flat roof structure to provide full height headroom to the first floor area and in the 1970’s / 1980’s the rear staircase was repositioned together with general refurbishment works of that time. The Outbuilding was also refurbished at that time with new kitchen units but the open Passageway was retained.

By incorporating these existing outbuildings in to the house and demolishing the lean-to kitchen we have made room for a spacious kitchen, dining area, utility room and shower room. We retained the original character of the property by increasing the roof height and adding skylights.
 
Upstairs the double rooms to the front of the house remain but now have a shower room between the two that has been cleverly created by taking a small piece from each room. The original bathroom at the back of the house has been converted in to another bedroom with an extra bedroom and bathroom being created in the space above the kitchen extension. The stairs have also been repositioned.























The front garden area enclosed with the original stone boundary wall has been refurbished and existing patio area repaved with Delabole slate paving. The rear garden area which is at a higher level and accessed by existing steps from the new ground floor kitchen area and a footpath to the side of the building has been re-landscaped and terraced.

 
Victoria House, Portscatho

To see more of our projects take a look at our portfolio plus keep up to date with the progress of our featured ‘live’ project in our Architects’ Diary.

 

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