Ask the Experts Grand Designs Q&A: August '09

Date Published:

02/07/2009

Ceiling Restoration

I’m currently restoring my home, but am unsure what to do with the ceiling roses and cornicing. They’ve been badly painted over by previous owners and I want to strip them back to their original state. What’s the best way to do this without causing any damage?

Bevis Claxton says Traditional ceiling roses and cornices were usually pre-fabricated in plaster of Paris then applied to lath and plaster ceilings, or moulded in place from the same lime plaster as the ceiling. Either way, the material is relatively soft, porous and vulnerable.

Traditional distemper paints should simply brush or wash off, but modern emulsion can stick, so remove carefully: conservators start with brushes and gentle non-metal tools. If modern plastic emulsion paint has built up, a layer of underlying distemper could be exploited if it is weakening the bond under the newer paint – but don’t count on it.

Special strippers or steam could be a last resort, but can be costly, uncomfortable work. A cheap, quick solution is to paint over any existing emulsion with old-fashioned distemper to improve the look and preserve the scene for future conservation. White soft distemper has a bright matt chalky finish that resists yellowing and looks just right on an old building. However, a traditional ceiling really needs to be inspected by an expert; people only familiar with plasterboard can be frightened into unnecessary destruction and replacement when simple repair could be all that’s needed.

After having numerous planning-approval problems with my countryside self-build, I was amazed to see an episode of Grand Designs where a couple was allowed to build a new house in the middle of their farmland. Is this a specific regulation for farmers?

Roger Estop replies Planning policies contain the edges of villages and suburbs to prevent gradual sprawl into the countryside. There is so much pressure for exceptions and so many individual reasons (family needs, no other land use, etc) that the policies are very rigid. There is always a special reason why the rural houses on Grand Designs got permission. This is to do with either working on the land or previous development on the site. A farmer living on a farm who does farming can build a farmhouse if he continues to farm. A house called The Farmhouse in a field with a few chickens doesn’t count. Similarly, a woodland worker who has to live close to work can build in woodland if the house is demolished when work stops.

The most common way that people achieve permission for a house in the countryside is by demolishing an existing house and building a replacement. Read your council’s policy carefully to understand the criteria for replacement and size limit, and be very sensitive to site ecology to succeed. Another situation where permission might be granted is where a new house assists in conserving redundant historic structures that would otherwise decay and be lost – but this would entail a lot of negotiation with conservation and planning officers.

This edition of Ask The Experts is taken from the August issue of Grand Designs magazine. If you would like to subscribe for as little as £9 then head here to find out more.