Knox Bhavan — Brownstones, Elmwood Road

We recently completed an exterior project on Elmwood Road, which gave us another opportunity to enviously eyeball the Knox Bhavan Brownstones nearby. 

The project has been shortlisted for the RIBA London Award 2015, and Eleanor Young has written about it here.

Previously the site of some unprepossessing 1950s maisonettes, “the front elevation is a contemporary reworking of the Edwardian street typology.” (That typology can be seen here.)

I was lucky enough to take a look inside one of the houses in September 2014, during Open House London. The standard of the materials and finish throughout is of the highest standard — if the chance to look inside either of the buildings rolls around again, take it.

The facade of the Knox Bhavan Brownstones in North Dulwich

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Casement window sill repair

Wet rot had affected a substantial portion of this casement window sill.

Rather than simply use 2-part filler on its own, the team retrieved the sill by screwing on a section of 2 x 1 planed timber and hardening the underlying substrate.

A small gap was left, and this was flush-filled with 2-part filler, prior to repainting.

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Trim Colour Series, no.2: F&B Drawing Room Blue

The owners of this house, in a distinctive and peaceful part of Greenwich, suspect that their front door has been blue for over a century. This continuity — which also applies to the red, green and black front doors nearby — has been lightly enforced.

UV damage to the existing paintwork had dulled and lightened it — the new colour is Drawing Room Blue by Farrow & Ball, and works beautifully.

A front door in Greenwich before and after being painted with Drawing Room Blue by Farrow & Ball

 

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