The story behind the story
The October edition of Country Homes & Interiors magazine includes a six-page, full-colour feature about a sumptuous rural property in the sought-after Surrey village of Windlesham. As the photographs testify, it’s far from your-run-of-the-mill new-build project. Best described as ‘the perfect state-of-the-art 21st Century cottage’, it was planned to fit the owners’ tastes and lifestyle down to the finest detail, and employed the most up-to-date building materials and techniques.
We supplied and fitted flooring in the owner’s previous home, so we were naturally delighted when they selected Higherground again for their new venture. The beautiful oak beams in the principal rooms have a deliberately ‘aged’ appearance, adding warmth, and character, while the muted grey tones of the woodwork have a fresher, more contemporary feel. To unite these contrasting elements, the clients chose our Winchester White engineered oak wood flooring for the kitchen, living room, study, and guest bedroom. The distressed oak surface of the flooring complements the beams perfectly, with the white oil finish picking up on the modern colours of the walls and woodwork. To ensure maximum efficiency for the underfloor heating system, we recommended a 15mm engineered board. This is the optimum thickness for allowing heat to pass through effectively, while also providing stability and avoiding any risk of shrinkage or warping. The Shaker-style kitchen required particularly careful planning, since it incorporated a large, free-standing island with legs. Our team installed the flooring first so the friendly team of kitchen fitters could place the island on top: we then returned to fit the skirting boards to provide the perfect finish.
For the Master Bedroom our client wanted some super-soft luxury underfoot, so chose Serenity from our Natural Elements faux silk carpeting range. Constructed with the finest 6.6-point nylon, this combines the softness of silk with the durability of a man-made fibre. To allow the heat to pass through from the underfloor heating system, we specified a low-tog underlay; we also supplied and fitted brushed chrome Premier thresholds in the doorways to match the door handles.
In early 2018, the clients added a small extension, and asked us to continue the same Winchester White wood flooring from the rest of the ground floor. It was lovely to go back and see the house fully finished, and marvel at the beautiful mature garden they had managed to create in such a short time. The house is a true oasis, inside and out, and we don’t imagine they’ll be moving on anytime soon!
It was an absolute pleasure to work on this project, and to see our clients happily settled in their new home. They were kind enough to allow us to take these pictures, which we hope will provide inspiration for your own interior project.
To find out more, book a free survey of your home / business or to speak with one of our advisors please do contact us.
