Cherish Your Home’s True Style – Part Two

Get out and about - research the vernacular traditions of your area. Find out as much as you can about local building materials, styles, and building types. Get in touch with your local building preservation trusts and the Vernacular Architecture Group. www.vag.org.uk

Do your homework - remember your legal obligations if your property is listed or in a conservation area. To renovate or build onto a listed building you will need both planning permission and listed building consent. Involving an architect at an early stage will legitimise your approach and likely fast-track the application process. Log onto the Royal Institute of British Architects website www.riba.co.uk and click on ‘Find an architect’. You can also seek advice from an organisation specialising in maintaining a heritage register of architects such as Project Book www.projectbook.co.uk, a useful resource guide for restoration projects.

Keep it real – sourcing reclaimed materials is time consuming but can make all the difference to the finished look. Reclamation and salvage yards are great hunting grounds for fixtures and fittings as are auctions rooms. You can also ask your builder to keep a look out for specific items or do a trawl of your local antique/bric-a-brac shops.