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case study


A Lifestyle Choice


The Dawsons wanted to create a modern living space to increase their natural light, as well as being dynamic in design. Due to renovation work, the family home in Solihull had become very spacious upstairs, so the main objective was to bring the downstairs in line, cre- ating a contemporary kitchen with an open-plan living space. The Dawsons moved into their house in 2002 and undertook three projects to achieve the house they wanted; starting with the garage conversion, then the loft renovation and finally in 2012 the Dawsons decided to redesign their kitchen to create an open planned dining area. The Dawsons knew from the onset that they didn’t just want a standard open-plan kitchen; they wanted a view and maximum light. “I knew exactly how I wanted it to be, I just needed to find the company that could make it happen,” says Penny Dawson. Penny had already decided


on bifolding doors, after visiting exhibitions and looking through various homes and interior mag- azines. The key points for her were – panoramic view, bespoke design, aluminium for durability, thermal efficiency and a fixed time scale – and it proved to be the perfect recipe for the Dawsons family home. The downstairs extension


started in May 2012 and was completed in September of that year with the whole extension adding an extra room onto the house. At the Homebuilding & Renovating show in Birming- ham, the Dawsons met Origin and were impressed. “We decided upon alu-


minium after talking to the experts – we knew it was the most suitable material for bi-fold doors and would stand the test of time. Origin were able to cus- tomise our doors, even down to the colour of the hinges, which we wanted to match the door colour”, says Penny. The Dawsons specified a five


door and a four door set for their contemporary kitchen. The two door sets are divided by a nar- row brick wall which provides extra support to the roof allow- ing the Dawsons to incorporate a gable-end glass roof. The five door set, which


opens up the kitchen, was fitted in an aperture of 4,354mm with each door leaf measuring 836mm wide by a standard height of approximately 2,191mm. The four door set, opening up the dining/lounge area, was installed into a 3,434mm aperture with each door measuring approximately 805mm by 2,191mm. The alu- minium doors were powder- coated in slate grey to maintain a modern fresh look, but also fade into the background draw- ing the eye to the garden. Design accents such as the


wooden floors, white walls and the modern kitchen island were dictated by Penny Dawson. “Since the doors went in, it immediately became the family


room and our heating bills have been dramatically reduced as we all congregate in the kitchen so we don’t need to heat the whole house. The new extension has not


only increased the value of the house, it has changed the way we live and this is mainly due to the bifolds creating an open-plan living space connecting the gar- den to the house. The bifolding doors were a luxurious choice, but a life-style choice I would rec- ommend to everyone.” As you enter the kitchen you


can’t fail to be taken aback by the vast amount of natural light that fills the room, the chic mod- ern design that now connects the modern living area, plus the seamless link between garden and home. The Dawsons have finally achieved a house that’s responsive to their needs and, more importantly, a sense of pride in the intelligent and con- temporary design. www.bifoldingdoors.co.uk


Enq. 603


Events


Scan the code with your mobile phone using QR code software to view the latest news from sbh-news.blogspot.co.uk


Grand Designs Live Birmingham NEC 04/10/2013 to 06/10/2013 Based on the Channel 4 TV series, and pre- sented by design guru Kevin McCloud, the event will be packed to the brim with ideas, design and innovation.


Homebuilding & Renovating Show Harrogate


01/11/2013 to 03/11/2013 As the North of England's biggest and dedi- cated self-build & renovation event, no where else will you find free expert advice, and the right products.


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selfbuilder & homemaker www.sbhonline.eu


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