Another dream home by Inspired Interiors
Apartment 8, Bishopstoke Manor
It’s all about the finish...
You can tell a top quality refurbishment by the quality of the finish – the eye for detail that distinguishes magnificent from mediocre. In just 10 weeks the Inspired Interiors team turned a dated apartment into a high quality home, a turnkey project that stripped the property back to its shell and completely rebuilt it to the highest standards.
Only the best would do for Apartment 8, and it shows – from the handpicked, professional tradesmen to the materials used and all the finishing touches. It’s a formula that makes dream homes come true.
Background
Bishopstoke Manor is a 19th century, Grade II listed converted Manor House in the conservation area of Old Bishopstoke. Screened from the road by fine specimen trees, this 3-storey property is located in over 5 acres of landscaped grounds on the banks of the Itchen Navigation. The building is accessed over a small bridge with parking in front and to the side of the buildings. A diverted stream runs through the lawns, and a substantial lake completes the picture.
Designated a Grade II building in 1983, Bishopstoke Manor is subject to English Heritage guidelines on the care of the historic environment in England. The refurbishment of Apartment 8 had to meet these guidelines before work could commence.
“Attention to detail is the trademark of true craftsmanship – work that bears scrutiny, and you only get this from qualified, time-served professionals who take deep pride in their craft.”
Scope of work
This ambitious project literally stripped the apartment back to its basics and rebuilt it as new. All traces of dated décor and function were removed and replaced with a contemporary, high quality, high performance home:
- Internal wall removal
- All 6 old sash windows removed and replaced with bespoke, double-glazed, wood sash windows
- New high specification kitchen with improved layout created, with doors bridging wall projections to maintain design flow and maximise the sense of space
- New bathroom with double shower, heated towel rails, and light-framed mirror
- Tiling to kitchen and bathroom floors and walls
- Artex finish removed throughout, ceilings skimmed and painted
- Carpeted living room, bedrooms and entrance hallway
- European oak hall floor, doors, skirting, architraves
- Rewired and re-plumbed throughout
- Concealed wiring
- Re-siting of electrics
- Plaster coving – seamlessly mitred and elegant, it conceals a lot of wiring, too
- Painted and wallpapered – living room feature walls prepared and lined horizontally with 1000gsm lining paper before feature paper hung
- Boxing in of all functional / unsightly infrastructure
- New furniture, fixtures and fittings throughout
- Hall cupboards – space maximised and made more user-friendly
- New radiators throughout – with wood floor caps
- Satin stainless steel wall switches
And, last but not least – a built-in wine chiller in the kitchen, and BT Infinity broadband in the living room for high-speed internet connection.
A project close to home – the founding of Inspired Interiors
Apartment 8 is also the birthplace of Inspired Interiors & Property Maintenance Limited – a turnkey Interior Design, Refurbishment and Decoration Company with a passion for helping people create their dream home throughout the South Coast. Located on the 1st floor, this 2-bedroom property is home to Hampshire-born businessman, Lee Unwin – the Director of Inspired Interiors. Newly restored to the UK after 13 years spearheading his highly successful businesses in Sydney, Australia (which, incidentally, still operate today and dominate the Australian markets in their specialist fields), perfectionist Lee is no stranger to revamping properties. To achieve the standard he wanted for his home, Lee handpicked a team of seasoned, accredited interior design, refurbishment and decoration professionals with over 300 years’ trade experience between them. Delighted with the results, Lee harnessed this vision, flair and quality craftsmanship into Inspired Interiors & Property Maintenance Limited.
Since the completion of Apartment 8, Inspired Interiors has successfully carried out several smaller design and decoration projects on behalf of customers throughout Hampshire.
