Ugly House to Beautiful House We've been strangely quiet on the subject of this program but here we are, about to break our silence. T...
Ugly House to Beautiful House
We've been strangely quiet on the subject of this program but here we are, about to break our silence. The premise is not only interesting but also relevant as the the property market moves firmly from a gentle simmer to a rolling boil.
Wait a minute, just in case you haven't seen the program, let us provide a quick summary; George "powergaze" Clarke introduces a "named" architect to a project to rejuvenate/reinvigorate properties that are variously described as ugly, awkward, challenging. The USP here is the named architect and the fact that the architect provides their services free of charge and places their plans in the public domain.
In some cases ugly was a reference not limited to the aesthetics of the building but, in more awkward terms, a description of the failure of the house to adapt/evolve to new (old) concepts of open plan living (
a 1500's Hall House was pretty open plan!).
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| 90k "it doesn't fit in" - good! Genuinely unique and a fabulous result. This or a flat roofed extension or UPVC conservatory - we know which we'd choose |
Our favourite one was
Episode 4 where a typical 80's bungalow resplendent with a style of extension which in time will be known as the "wart era" was treated to full width, soaring roofed extension by Will Alsop. Refusing to tow any kind of line and with a robust disregard for the concept of "fitting in" he designed a unique addition (extension conjures the wrong image).
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| Mezzanine - good! |
We also enjoyed the
episode in which a mezzanine level was created and provided an admirable demonstration of how the "feeling" of space is as important as cold, hard numbers. Ultimately though this one was let down by a less than stellar approach to interior design and exterior, front elevation (which ironically) only a mother could love.
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| Then it went wrong (same architect who designed the mezzanine then plonked this on the side of the same house |
Another side to this program has been the discussion it has provoked around the decision process between modifying/moving and the role that an architect plays in spending the client's money. In fact Mr. Clarke has found himself in some rather deep and turgid social networking waters amid accusations that he's forcing people into debt. This self-same theme has been picked up by newspapers (curiously as one would have thought or at least hoped they had more prosaic interests last week than over-spending home owners).
Anyone who has watched any of these programs; Grand Designs UK, Grand Designs Australia, Ugly House, 100k house etc will know that the recurring theme is overspend, budget overrun - call it what you will it always costs more than they said it would.
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| Clarke Courts Controversy "shocka" - come on, take some personal responsibility |
In a society that loves to place blame especially when said blame can be directed anyway from any personal culpability and directed at another individual, company or faceless organisation perhaps we shouldn't be surprised to read that this overspend is, of course, the architect's fault, no wait a minute it's George's fault, hang on it's the evil Channel 4 program makers and their sensationalism hunting, no it's not them it's the editors of Living Etc and Elle Decoration, it's the designers of furniture, soft-furnishings, paints, gadgets (can you spot the theme here?)
The reality is that, as far as we're aware, no one holds a loaded gun to any of these peoples head. No one gags them and extracts their pin number to empty their bank account and throw money at the holy feet of the architect. What one should take, if anything from the discussion, is that this is an imprecise "science" and that all parties have a part to play in containing and controlling costs. The client is not a small child, not to be trusted with their own money and subject to the predations of the big bad designer.
The Next Big Thing?
We'll split some of these out as Pipeline items (it's not running dry, to extend the metaphor!) but we've a wealth of "things" coming along as part of a new portfolio project.
The Challenge
The space is a square room of around 9 square meters, featuring a B&Q special Art-Nouveau(ish) fireplace, a hue of red that was probably sold as "Victorian Dining Room" but when combined with some fearfully inappropriate wall lighting serves only to become a dark pit at night or, during the day, what we think it would be like to live in a blood bank. The ceiling had been afflicted by that most pernicious and contagious of interior design viruses; the Artex superbug.
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| Ebonised oak - on the mood board and key food for inspiration |
With that said there are some positives; it has the benefit of a very large window positioned exactly mid way along the wall. The flooring is non-rotten, stripped 150mm floorboards and because it's so awful in theory even on our worst day we can only make it better.
The Virtual Mood Board
As a curative salve for the red we're going white but in a nod to pretentious TV chefs (actual and wannabes) this will be "white 3 ways". We're going to be using the same shade but use texture and finishing processes to create interest and to mitigate the risk of "how nice; another white box".
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| Lacquered walls - most clearly visible on the rear wall with the sconces. Lacquering yields an almost wet-look that adds depth but it's a demanding process and works best, we feel, in small doses |
The white will provide a foil for rich glossy blacks in the form of an ebonised storage feature, a wide black border on the floor boards, black and dark bronze picture frames.
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| Rich glossy blacks offset by patinated brass - not as shouty as gold, more old rich than new rich |
To bring more colour, texture and to introduce a feeling of warmth a rug in rich shades of dark chocolate and red is winging it's way from Holland (sadly not a Jan Kath Erased Heritage but very much inspired be that concept).
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| Jan Kath Erased Heritage Collection member - we wish but at approaching 2k per square metre it's a bit "rich" for a portfolio project |
Furniture will include two Timothy Oulton pieces and we're searching for the "right" chair which is pushing us dangerously close to Designers Guild Nabucco fabric on a overscaled armchair.
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| Designers Guild Nabucco - in this colour way it has an iridescent quality and when you've got a white "canvas" there's the visual bandwidth to consider a strong colour and texture like this |
To address the appalling lighting the wall lights will be removed the space left behind creating opportunity for more prints/paintings and photographs. We are making a faceted AR111 mounting which will allow us to use these stalwarts of the retail sector to create directed/focused light on to wall hanging art work. With these mountings designed to hang from the ceiling and utilising a lockable ball join we'll be able to direct them exactly where light is needed and to bring some interest into the "blank" canvas of the ceiling. Table and floor lamps will be used to introduce additional lighting but no center light (we're really not fans).
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| Model of the AR111 faceted mounting |
The fireplace has been removed and we're fabricating a storage feature that will showcase ebonised oak in combination with aged brass and in a radical alternative twist we'll not be mounting a flat screen close to the ceiling requiring a continuously stretched pose to watch it.
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| Back to black and patinated brass but this is also about clean lines with horizontals emphasized by brass |
The existing heating, provided by the ubiquitous white panel radiator, is to be replaced and improved with a brushed stainless steel, floor standing radiator moving to beneath the window.
As you would expect from us this will be extensively documented and photographed BUT will also happen very quickly, we're pushing for completion by May (this year) - customer projects notwithstanding.
Week What of What? You What? I mean, pardon?
These posts give us a chance to recap on the last week at Bokoshoko and give you a glimpse of what's happening. Many of our projects take time to come to fruition or our customers would prefer we did not share so these posts also show we're not just sitting around!
