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Brick type - Kempley Antique (chocolate mortar)
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Location - Doncaster
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Products - Red Bank chimneys
This project, a classically designed one-off luxury home built by Willowbrooke Homes, is located on an edge-of-town site on the outskirts of Doncaster within a conservation area, and next to Blyth Hall, an historic mansion of some magnitude, which dates back to the 14th century and which was rebuilt in the 1680s.
An impressive brick building which features corner turrets and decorative stone, Blyth Hall was the inspiration for this ambitious residential project. The client, architect and designer wanted to build a luxury home which would reflect contemporary attitudes to design and build, yet blend in and reflect, rather than compete with, the heritage of the area surrounding Blyth Hall.
The result is a large scale, two storey home, highly traditional in overall appearance, yet state-of-the-art in design and build. Measuring 11,000 square feet, it includes six bedrooms, an indoor pool complex and a triple garage. Looking to replicate the rich design of Blyth Hall, this new home is also brick built, and features a turret and reproduction clay chimney pots.
The client wanted an ‘olde worlde’ look created from modern materials. To achieve this challenging design, Hanson’s Kempley Antique brick was specified for the project. A red stock brick, Kempley Antique covers a wide range of hues - from full-blooded reds to faded rose and orange, and various shades in between. This provides a weathered look, while the additional choice of chocolate mortar darkens and enriches the overall effect of the bricks, making them look older and more original. In addition, the decision to recess the joint back 4mm makes the bricks stand out even more and gives a more textured effect.
These Kempley Antique bricks were installed using the Flemish Bond pattern of alternating headers and stretchers on each course. This is an unusual approach these days, as it is more labour intensive, but as it is widely considered the most decorative bond, it provides a much more authentic and historical effect. And because the headers of each row are centred on the stretchers of the row below, this technique also results in a much stronger structure.
A number of specials were also used on this project. These include specials used on the turret and the chimney, as well as the decorative stone around the bay windows. In addition, the herringbone pattern incorporated between the two floors of the turret further enhances the authenticity and richness of the design, and also introduces an attractive contrast and variation in the overall appearance.
The creative use of Kempley Antique bricks, especially in combination with the chocolate mortar, has contributed a great deal to transforming what could have been just another modern home into a classic and highly unique luxury residence on a conservation site of significant historical value.
