Rarefinder - Architectural Design, Build and Consultancy Service.

Architectural Masterpieces
by Alan Bitterman of Rarefinder.

Out of Order
Biffin Bridge
Bear Floors

Cosy Fox
Talking Heads
Ashers Window

Cosy Fox (As featured on BBC Reclaimers 2005)

Project Brief: Cosy Fox is a two bedroomed apartment in a large 19th century Victorian house. Having been completely modernised by the developer it has now been transformed, once again, into a Victorian masterpiece by Alan Bitterman and Roy Sandiford of "Rarefinder".

Door

Archway

Panelling

Bookcases

Stained Glass

Flooring

Miscellaneous

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Door
The private entrance is a substantial 19th century pine door glazed to midway with a hand painted roundel of a Scottish castle. The door surround has been created using English Oak cut from reclaimed skirting and architrave. the broken pediment is embellished with a swagged urn and a pair of floral swags in the style of Robert Adam.

Archway
Once inside you are met by a 19th century yellow pine archway reclaimed from a grand Cheshire country mansion thus creating a vestibule prior to entering the lounge area.

Panelling
The walls of the lounge are panelled throughout in rich yellow pine reclaimed from a gentleman's' club. Please note the elegantly carved finials above each pilaster. Closer inspection of the panelling reveals two secret doors one of whch leads down stone steps into a sunken conservatory boasting a Napoleon III Grande bronze chandelier.

Bookcases
Situated on either side of the room is alarge bookcase again crafted from reclaimed EnglishOak. Below one of these you will discover a large Victorian cast iron radiator disguised by a pair of copper vent covers from the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Stained Glass Windows
Looking beyond the grand piano through the fluted columns of the plaster archway you will see a triple arched cast iron window from a 19th century chapel the leaded stained glass for which is hand blown using the same 400 year old technique imported from Bruges.

Flooring
The floor of the lounge is constructed from the English oak reclaimed arquet block in the traditional herring bone style inlaid with a cherry wood border. it was fitted and finished in one working day using a revolutionary technique developed by and exclusive to Rarefinder. To view more floors and learn more about our unique fitting system please click here.

Miscellaneous
The two main chairs in the room circa 1930 have been re upholstered in a pinstripe of black grey and steel blue. The walls, ceiling, coving and fluted archway have all been painted in the same colours complimenting the ebonised "Bosendorfer" grand piano while at the same time drawing the textures and the natural colours of the reclaimed pine and oak together.