The Old Mill

The project brief was to renovate and bring back to life an old carding and spinning mill that had been placed on the buildings at risk register and had since been going to wreck and ruin. The building held over 200 years' worth of history, so it was key to preserve as many original features as possible. The extension building (which was not part of the original Mill) was to be demolished, leaving the Mill to become the centerpiece of the plot once again. Key elements included restoring both the interior and exterior brickwork, the structural beams and original accessories to create a unique yet warm, family home. We designed the property to ensure the history is never lost, by keeping original features wherever possible. We selected Cosentino Sensa Vancouver Granite for the worktop, splashback and window surrounds within the Old Mill's kitchen to provide the stone with a real presence in the room. Its warm, soft tones aid in balancing out the room against the darker exposed walls. We designed the island worktop especially to have the large metal pillar emerge through the worktop without the need for any untidy joins on the surface. To achieve this the metal pillar had to be installed in multiple stages. A Subzero French Door Refrigerator and 6-Burner Wolf Dual Fuel Range are centrepieces of any kitchen area, and we made sure to specify and include them within this special renovation. The beautiful, historic stone walls around the kitchen/dining area had to be stripped of aged crackling paint to be repointed in limestone to future-proof the stone. Our in-house master artist replastered and aged the stone to look as though it had never been touched. He then stunningly recreated the same finish on the brickwork seen behind the tall fireplace. Our joiners manufactured shutters for the windows which endured similar aging treatments to look as though they are the original shutters. We recycled the oak floor from the dance floor of a Scottish hotel that was being shut down, and now it takes pride of place in the kitchen/dining area. It’s not often you can say a floor has soul, but this one certainly has a story to tell, with any new damage being embraced as beautiful character. The arched ceiling above the kitchen wasn't originally planned for and evolved during the fitting process. This addition highlights our designers' belief that design should remain alive throughout the project, if you can add something to enhance the room, we should be brave and embrace it.