Traditional windows were a must for this lovely cottage in the village of Whatstandwell, Derbyshire. The house is a former Smithy and it’s mentioned on the Discover Derbyshire Whatstandwell page. The house overlooks the renowned Family Tree Restaurant, and backs onto the Cromford Canal.
It is one of the few buildings in the village visible from the main A6 road from Belper to Matlock. It was one of these glimpses that caused Dawn McGuigan to fall in love with the cottage as she cycled past it one day. In almost a dream come true scenario, Dawn ended up being the proud owner of The Smithy, and set about making it truly her own.
Dawn set about sympathetically restoring the cottage and put heart and soul into the project to make an excellent job of modernising the property without compromising the traditional looks. It was on the premise of modernisation without detracting from the quaint styling that Dawn decided to upgrade the windows.
Dawn contacted Gowercroft after she read about the work we do on heritage window products, and she was impressed with the quality of products and our attention to detail, and she decided that her special home needed the caring attention of a company like ourselves.
We worked closely with Dawn to make sure she felt that everything was ‘just right’ – from both and aesthetic and a technical viewpoint. We designed a set of windows for her that were in keeping with the original look of the place.
The existing replacement windows that were fitted to the house had ‘Transoms’ – a horizontal frame member that splits the window horizontally with a small casement that opens above it. Both parties deemed this arrangement to be unauthentic and eliminated them at the design stage. You can read more about Transom Windows here https://info.glass.com/what-is-a-transom-window/
The design of the Bay Window to the left of the door was also pored over, and eventually a solution was reached that befitted the property and offered the best technical solution.
We fitted flush casement units from our Hardwick range of classic windows. These high performing windows that offer exceptional heat retention, sound proofing and security. Whilst being very modern in terms of performance, they are very much a traditional window in terms of styling being all flush on the outside.
The astragals – the strips of wood that cross the windows vertically and horizontally – add a very olde worlde feel to the design of the units that befits older properties or buildings that want to create an air of traditional style and values.
You can read more about our Hardwick Traditional Windows here.
Dawn chose our Melbourne Doors for The Smithy as they compliment our Hardwick windows perfectly. They immediately create the impression of quality coupled with traditional design. Dawn was impressed by both the styling and the performance of the door range and she is confident that her lovely home is as secure, warm and protected from the traffic noise from the busy A6 road as it possibly can be.
You can read more here about the Melbourne Hardwood Door.
Of course the hardest decision of all came last – what colour?
As the cottage is a former Smithy located in a Conservation area Dawn felt it was important to fit in with the surrounding properties and pay homage to the buildings original specification. But she also wanted to put her own individual stamp on the house, to make it truly her own.
She opted for a traditional white finish for the windows and porch and the front door was painted ‘Stiffkey Blue’.
Our windows and doors are constructed from either Red Grandis or, as in the case of The Smithy at Whatstandwell, Accoya wood. Accoya is a modified timber designed to reduce environmental impact and improve strength and weatherproofing. Over 80 years in development, Accoya has a guaranteed lifespan of 50 years, or 25 years if below ground or submerged in water. It has many applications and is a particularly fine material for making windows and doors, especially if you want them to last a very long time. Here’s some more information on Accoya Wood
Our glazing range is handpicked to offer outstanding levels of performance. We have several options to choose from with varying levels of security, heat retention and soundproofing. We are also one of the few official registered installers of the revolutionary Pilkington Spacia vacuum glass. Read more about our glass options on the Glass and Glazing page.
Our ironmongery is chosen to match both the style of our windows and reflect the high quality of the frames for security and length of service. We have a wide range of styles from traditional to modern to compliment any style of decor.
The Gowercroft ethos is one of quality. Our design and manufacture process is the result of years of dedication to the improvement of everything we do. The wealth of experience gathered over the last 20 or so years in business is distilled down into every window and door that we make. Our attention to detail is meticulous and every stage of the process, and this ensures that our windows and doors will offer many years of trouble free service with the bare minimum of maintenance.
If you are replacing or installing windows and you are looking to have the very best in quality and design, then please contact our sales team on 01773 300510, we will be delighted to talk to you about the design and installation of your new heritage style windows windows.
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