Rarefinder - Architectural Design, Build and Consultancy Service.
Architectural Masterpieces
 by Alan Bitterman of Rarefinder.
Design & Build Service (Homepage)
Out of Order
Biffin Bridge
Bear Floors 		Cosy Fox
Talking Heads
Ashers Window
  Out of Order
  Project Brief:  A totally unique design and build by Alan Bitterman and Roy Sandiford of "Rarefinder".

Outside Out of ..
Into Out of Order
Still Crazy after ...
Are Friends Elec...
Loose Wheel in ...
Wooden Heart
There'll be Blueb...

One Man's Ceiling
Three Steps to Hea..
Who's the Fairest...
Readers on the ...
Lets do the Twist
Fan Base
Radio Aga



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Outside Out of Order
Into out of Order
You enter into "Out of Order" through a magnificent pair of nine feet tall Victorian doors that span a beautiful reclaimed Victorian checkerboard tiled floor. At the end of this you step up onto an original reclaimed stone floor and by now you are well and truly hooked!
Still Crazy After All These Beers
The huge engineers' sink to your right has been fitted with a modern chrome beer font with hot and cold taps at each end but what makes washing dishes in this house so much fun is the beer tap connected to a chilled barrel secreted underneath. The doors beneath the sink have been skillfully crafted into curves to follow the line of the worktop. No mean feat when you are working with reclaimed flat window shutters.
Are Friends Electric
Having removed the original taps from the engineers' sink we sacked the plumber! And asked the electrician to fit them into a smaller sink. The results are fantastic! Each tap is now a light switch and each tap now lights up a different area of the kitchen.
Loose wheel in the sky with Diamonds
Above the drink sink is a suspended train wheel pattern. This four feet diameter wheel is fitted with downlights in each spoke and above these 11,000 marbles reflect light from hidden lights in the ceiling.
Wooden Heart
The entablature behind the drink sink, carved "The toast to the pursuit of happiness" Khayyam, is of stone and though the lions legs below, which support it, and the lions head above , appear to be stone they are actually carved wood - turned to stone by magic (and a little resin and river sand)!!
There'll be Bluebirds Over
On either side of the kitchen are two absolutely stunning 19th century stained glass windows painstakingly restored depicting deep red roses and Oxford and Cambridge blue swallows leading you into the garden.
The Two Towers
The two twelve foot stained glass gothic windows fitted into the gable end of the house shed a great deal of light into what was once a very gloomy hallway.
One Man's Ceiling
The ceiling, which was used on a previous commission, was to be unique but the client insisted on having the same. So as with Biffin Bridge the ceiling s created from Victorian pine doors, each one numbered with letterbox, doorbell, each one hinged and yes! Each one opens.
Three Steps To Heaven
Eventually you arrive at the three magnificient 19th century curved stone steps, each one weighing half a ton. With parapet and stone ball finials these lead you down to the sun lounge.
Who's the Fairest of them all
At this point you will find probably the most magnificient piece of interior architecture to grace my workshop. Its a ten feet tall original sliding mirror decorated with intricate gesso relief. The whole thing slides away behind a beautiful set of folding shutter doors. This absolute gem took three months to restore by hand and every minute was a pleasure.
Readers on the Storm
Hundreds of books create a fascinating and, I'm sure, unique display on the ceiling under the roof terrace. This is a working bookcase if you can reach - that might be stretching it a bit too far.
Let's do the Twist
The 19th century spiral staircase rises from our second train wheel pattern which creates the first step. Again we have filled the wheel with marbles which reflect the light from the hidden uplights below. Note the Victorian cast iron hopper head that is now a plug socket.
Fan Base
The spiral staircase leads you up to the mezzanine floor. Made of reclaimed pine this floor is in the shape of a fan and is supported at the tapered end by a huge industrial cast iron column which came from a Lancashire cotton Mill. The handrail is 19th century French sourced in Paris.
Radio Aga
The "Aga" cooker, an integral part of a Bitterman kitchen, is strategically placed never flat against a wall. This is always my little acorn and when it is all finished I see it as my A.G.A.- A Great Achievement. The stained glass cupboard behind the Aga with a multitude of drawers fitted with a mirrored back and down lights creates a fantastic feature as well as being totally functional.