Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Tiptoe Builders!

Mansion block refurbishment

We've recently completed another mansion block refurbishment. Our work included supplying and fitting a new modern kitchen and smartstone work top (photographed, above). We also built a bespoke wardrobe for the children's bedroom, extended existing wardrobes in the master bedroom, and decorated and added new electrical points throughout flat. 

Handpainted Wallpaper by Zuber

If you are looking for something special to grace your walls, take a peek at Zuber—a French manufacturer of hand-painted wallpapers. 

Since 1797, Zuber has made what many consider to be the most elaborate and beautiful wallpaper in the world. Their painted designs tell a story through intricate details and vivid colours. A true maker of luxury wallpapers, Zuber designs have papered the rooms of presidents, prime ministers and tycoons. You can even spot the wallpaper, Vue de l'Amérique du Nord, in the White House, below. 

Zuber showrooms are located in select cities. The London showroom can be visited at 42 Pimlico Road, SW1.   

(Zuber wallpaper in the White House.)

Underfloor Heating: Water versus Electric

Many of our clients are seeing the value in installing underfloor heating from both a practical and environmental view. Underfloor heating is much more efficient than traditional radiator heating, as the heat is spread evenly across the room rather just rising to the ceiling from one specific point. This means underfloor heating not only warms up a home quickly, but it also costs less to run than other systems. In fact, underfloor heating running costs are on average 20% less than using a traditional wall radiators.

When it comes to underfloor heating, there are two options, water or electric. Both systems act as efficient low-level radiators and perform exactly the same task. Deciding to use water or electric heating depends upon the construction of the subfloor of a property (the subfloor is the layer between a decorative floor and the joists).

Water underfloor heating is best suited for new builds or extensions as it requires more space to accommodate the pipework. This means the sub-floor can be specifically constructed to manage the space and depth required by this type of system. Water heating also costs less to run than electric heating per KW of heat output.

Electric underfloor heating is usually the best option when refurbishing existing properties as it requires a low profile in the subfloor (3mm). It can fit into existing spaces below decorative flooring without having to raise the entire floor. It is also a quick and less expensive installation. And while it's more expensive to run than water heating, it's still more economical than using wall radiators.

If you are looking into underfloor heating, please get in touch and we'd be happy to take a look at your property and give you our advice.

(photo above: underwater heating installation by Tiptoe Builders)

Retrouvius

We mentioned the design store Retrouvius in our autumn newsletter. Over the summer, we hand-laid more than 1,200 mosaic tiles from this reclamation and design store for a client's splashback.  

Based in West London, the Retrouvius store is filled with a carefully curated selection of architectural and homeware gems. From lighting to door handles and columns and flooring, there are so many interesting and exciting pieces collected and sold by Retrouvius. It's perfect for finding that unique item for your home.

We also love their motto, "bridging the gap from destruction to construction."

If you can't make it their warehouse just yet, you can view many of their items online. Here are a few pieces we liked from their website:

 (All photos via Retrouvius website)

And the winner is....

When we finish a project we always ask our clients to complete a feedback form. To show that we truly value their comments, each client who participates is entered into a draw. The winner receives vouchers to John Lewis / Waitrose stores.

Charlotte and Mark from Twickenham won our last draw. The accompanying photos show just some of the work we completed on their home last January.

The draw is completely random, but it is worth mentioning that Charlotte and Mark, like all our customers, were very pleased with the work. They said, "Communication was excellent. The team led by Rafal was outstanding. We will be back for more work!"

Congratulations, Charlotte and Mark.

Home inspiration in Queen's Park

We enjoyed this peek into the home of Iris fashion boutique owner, Sarah Claassen. Located in Queens Park (NW6), the home was completely refurbished. Building work included a reconfigured layout, new walls, floors, ceilings, and a two-storey extension into the garden. 

You'll see the use of black walls and floorboards, a colour that most people overlook as too dark and harsh for a family home. Sarah manages to soften the black, using Farrow & Ball's Off-Black and contrasting the colour with restored white ceiling roses and cornicing, and gorgeous plaster heads—one of the few original features that could be saved in the house.

The flooring is Engineered Character Oak, with a black stair runner, bringing all the elements together.

What do you think of Sarah's home? Would you consider using black or off-black as a main colour in your home? 

(All images scanned via LivingEtc, May 2011.)

Lacanche range cookers

Recently, one of our clients bought a Lacanche range cooker for a gorgeous kitchen we refurbished. If you haven't heard of this French brand, Lacanche stoves are "serious cookers for serious cooks". These range cookers have been produced for more than 200 years in the Burgundian countryside in France and they are well-respected among the elite cooking crowd.

What's so special about Lacanche?  Each range cooker is bespoke and made to order by hand—Yes, hand! The Lacanche customer specifies everything for these cookers, from the hob and oven types to the duel fuel options, enamel finishes and the various trims.

It's no surprise then, that some of Britain's most famous cooks like Delia Smith, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingtall and Lloyd Grossman, are proud owners of Lacanche range cookers too.

We had a go at creating our very own dream Lacanche cooker. Head on over to the website and build your own as well.

Refurbishment in Teddington

Tiptoe Builders are also working on a refurbishment in Teddington. The photos, above, show the installation of a water underfloor heating system. Next, we'll add new electrics, plumbing, plastering and finish by decorating the new kitchen and living space.

The team has also concealed a door and then created a new door opening, with a fanlight in the external brickwork.

Photos of the finished work to follow.

Ealing bathroom

We've just completed work on a lovely bathroom in Ealing (photographed, above). We were so pleased when we received this positive email from the client:

"Thanks so much to your team for all their hard work. They did a fantastic job and I'm pleased with the finish and quality of my bathroom."

You can find more customer feedback on our website, right here.

Kindle Stoves

We recently popped into Kindle Stoves and we're immediately charmed with their London shop of wood-burning stoves. You'll spot the Danish-made, Morso and Rais stoves, below. Kindle Stoves is a family run business with locations in London, Bristol and Bath.  

Hampton Wick bathroom

We've finished work on this beautiful Hampton Wick bathroom. What do you think? You can see a work-in-progress photo of the same space in the blog post below. 

Hampton Wick Bathroom Renovation

Here's a glimpse into another Tiptoe Builders' project—the building of a luxury bathroom in Hampton Wick. This photo was taken mid-way through the project, just after the plumbing phase and as the beautiful 50x50 limestone tiles were being laid along the floor and walls. 

The project involved removing various walls in the bathroom, which our builders will replace with glass screens and glass doors. The finished project is sure to result in a luxurious, top-end bathroom that our clients will love. 

(Update: You can see the 'After' photo right here.)

Tiptoe Builders: Scaffolding in Paddington

Tiptoe Builders recently erected scaffolding outside this Paddington townhouse. We'll be busy decorating the outside and inside over the coming weeks. Look out for our Tiptoe Builders sign! 

The Lancasters

The talk of London property these days is The Lancasters—a new luxury development in the heart of Lancaster Gate, just opposite Hyde Park. Just recently a former Thistle hotel, The Lancasters is now 77 elegant, traditional-meets-modern homes.

The renovation took several years to complete and aside from the front facade, involved nearly a complete re-build of the property.

Properties inside The Lancasters, range from studio to 4-bedroom penthouse duplexes—or 640 square feet to 5,217 square feet. Residents of the development also have access to a concierge service, valet underground parking, swimming pool, spa and gymnasium facilities.

A luxury building development on a truly massive scale. We love the photos and the floor plans (all available on The Lancasters website.) Your thoughts?

Tiptoe Builders: Plastering Walls

Here is a snapshot of Tiptoe Builders, plastering the walls of a Little Venice project last week.

Did you know plasterwork is one of the most ancient building skills? Traces of plasterwork (and even the same tools) can be found in the primitive, Egyptian and even Greek periods.

Tiptoe Builders featured on London Mums

Tiptoe Builders was recently featured on the popular London Mums website, sharing our top tips for finding the right property renovation team.

You can find the article right here.

Tiptoe Builders in Richmond: bathroom refurbishment

Here's a look at two bathrooms our team of London builders refurbished in a lovely Richmond home. The top photo shows the before and after photos of an ensuite bathroom transformed into a shower room. 

Below, you'll see the before and after of a family bathroom. We love the use of wood in both bathrooms, which brings a touch of warmth and style.

At the end of the project, our clients commented that they were "very impressed with the very high standard of work" completed by Tiptoe Builders. Music to our ears...

Celebrity Homes: Kate Moss, London NW6

Here's a look into Kate Moss's home in NW6, St John's Wood borders. She's selling for £6 million. We love how the kitchen/lounge area opens into an outdoor living space and eventually leads to an expansive, green garden. The home has three reception rooms, 5/6 bedrooms, a double garage, and a separate kitchen/dining/living room. Any work you would commission builders to do? Take a look at the floor plan and let us know in the comments.

More photos at Prime Location here.

Little Venice Builders Project

Here are some 'Before' and 'In Progress' photos of a Tiptoe Builders refurbishment project in Little Venice. This three-bedroom home is undergoing some massive work, starting with knocking down the wall between the narrow, galley kitchen and opening it up to the reception area. Here is where our London building team is at in the project:

Stay tuned for the finished project...

Belgique - London Builders favourite source

You might think you're seeing a flawless wood floor in the photos above. In fact, you're looking at an exciting new porcelain product—one which imitates the look and feel of oak wood.

Produced by Casa Dolce Casa, the flooring is called Belgique and comes in five different versions, from a dark grey to a milky white. 

Tiptoe Builders have used Belgique tiles in two different projects, and we've been very impressed with the quality and finish. It's perfect for achieving a wood floor look in wet rooms, bathrooms and kitchens. 

Belgique is available in London at World End Tiles. 

(Images from Casa Dolce Casa.)

Maida Vale Builders : Before and After

A complete transformation, don't you agree? We love the peek into the child's room as well — very sweet. This refurbishment was swiftly completed by Tiptoe Builders in a Maida Vale mansion block flat. 

Cast Iron Radiators in London

We recently fitted traditional-style cast iron radiators in a Maida Vale building project. The radiators looked beautiful and complimented the refurbished flat wonderfully. The radiators are a bit pricey, but worth the style they bring to a practical, necessary item such as radiators.

Available from Paladin Radiators.