Clearview National February 2016 - Issue 171 | Page 40

doors&windows

Bespoke Barn Conversion
with Black Millwork
»»An impressive barn conversion
property on the Isle of Wight has used high
quality windows and doors from Black
Millwork to achieve top energy efficiency
ratings and an authentic finish.
Locate d in the town of Ryde, Lakefield
Barn is a 2,500 sqft detached property
sympathetically converted from a former
stable block. Set in just over six acres and
benefitting from its own private lake, the
single storey property features four bedrooms,
three bathrooms and stunning exposed vaulted
ceilings throughout.
With a unique ‘U’ shape floor plan, the
green oak framed building has kept much
of its original character whilst also offering
modern performance credentials for absolute
comfort. Incorporating 38 windows and
doors from Black Millwork, the property
is extremely thermally efficient and uses
renewable energy sources for its heating and
electricity needs.
Chris Sandell, Co-Founder of Sandell
Partnership and owner of the property,
commented: “As a property developer I’ve
had lots of opportunity to practice my
homebuilding skills and I set out to use all of
my knowledge in my own house. With any
restoration project it’s important to retain as
much of the character as possible but it is as
equally important to ensure the building is fit
for purpose in its new life. Black Millwork’s

40 » F EB 2016 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M

products were perfect for this as they offered
both the traditional look and the modern
performance I was after.
“When a specific style is required, choosing
the right fenestration is absolutely paramount
as its impact on the overall aesthetics –
both indoor and outdoor – cannot be
overestimated. Timber frames were a must
for this property and I received a number of
quotes for the windows and doors and found
Black Millwork to be very good value, beating
all other suppliers on price.
“Importantly, Black Millwork was not fazed
by the logistics of delivering to an island site
as many other suppliers are. I was particularly
impressed by their willingness to attend the
site on more than one occasion to make sure

everything ran smoothly and was equally
satisfied when the units arrived on time and
well protected.”
Installed at the property were 27 oak Tilt
and Turn and fixed unfinished windows that
are designed to age and silver along with
the rest of the property’s oak frame. Their
traditional style is accompanied by impressive
thermal efficiency performance, achieving a
U-value of 1.4 W/m2K.
In addition, 11 oak French doors were also
supplied unfinished to match the windows
and building frame. Benefitting from a
comprehensive 10-year warranty, the doors
achieve a U-value of 1.5 W/m2K.
Chris continued: “Working on high-end
bespoke properties it’s crucial to find suppliers
that are willing to be flexible and will partner
with you during a build. Black Millwork
was very accommodating when it came to
producing the non-standard sized windows and
its support team were always available to me.
“This is the second time I’ve used Black
Millwork and I’m pleased to say that I will
definitely be using them again in the future.
As a local property development company, our
reputation is extremely important to us and
it’s only by using the best materials that we can
maintain our customers’ trust. Black Millwork
have certainly delivered on this front and I
wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to any
other developer.”