Leading radiator manufacturer Stelrad Radiators is proving that the subtlety of the design of many of their radiator models is such that they can blend happily with buildings of any age – from contemporary modern designs to refurbished 16th century properties – and provide effective heating for them all.
The latest example of Stelrad Radiators being utilised sees a Grade II Listed former Welsh farmhouse building that has been extensively refurbished by LivEco Homes in Cardiff. LivEco is passionate about building better quality homes for people and using sustainable technologies to produce homes that offer carbon neutral options. It is building smaller, award winning, sustainable Eco Homes on the old farm site on the edge of Cardiff and will shortly begin the final phase of this development building thirteen homes – from two bedroom single storey to four bedroom double story homes – with underfloor heating on the ground floors and Stelrad Compact with Style radiators in the upstairs of the new homes.
Great House Farm is a fantastic example of a late 16th Century (1580-1600) Welsh farmhouse. It was the most prominent house in the local area along with the nearby St. Michael church which dates from AD 1254. Both buildings were first mapped in 1776.
The newly refurbished home is the largest property on the new LivEco development, giving the site an architectural heritage, and it will once again be the most important building locally, bringing a once derelict building back to life. With traditional stone walls, between eighteen and twenty-four inches thick, the homes retain their heat well and insulate against the colder weather equally effectively.
The radiators selected for the upper rooms in both halves of the refurbished farmhouse are a mix of K1 and K2 format Compact with Style radiators featuring an attractive smooth fronted fascia with horizontal lined casings. It’s an interesting choice of style for the property as it’s the style increasingly being selected by larger new homes developers for their ultra-modern new homes – highlighting this design’s complete versatility.
“The radiators seemed perfect for what we needed,” says Daniel Ball of LivEco. “We have had a vision for the homes we would be building here and we’re proud of the rich mix of new homes we have been able to build on the site. The old farmhouse was the kingpin building on the site and we’ve been able to transform it into two excellent modern homes with all the comforts you’d expect in a modern home, whilst incorporating a number of features from the original build that goes back to 1580! We’ve left exposed areas of the original stone work and managed to keep much of the old oak beams along with possibly the highlight of the properties – the original stone fireplaces – although we’ve replaced the original oak beams across these with replacement oak beams that exactly fit the apertures of the original fireplaces. Now the refurbishment is completed we’re very pleased with what we’ve achieved and the new homes are proving very popular, particularly with local people who have known the original derelict building for decades here in the village.”
“It’s great to be associated with a refurbishment of this sort,” says Stelrad’s Chris Harvey. “Many people associate our products with the new developments and replacement heating systems up and down the country, but we see our products taken and utilised in a really creative way to provide effective heating in a very old home that can still benefit from the modern technology that goes into our radiators. This is a special project for us – we’re delighted to be part of it.”
You can find out more about the Compact with Style and the wide range of designs available at www.stelrad.com. You can call for further information on 0844 543 6200 or email [email protected]. You can follow Stelrad on Twitter @Stelrad or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StelradLimited.
