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.)