Original timber style replicated
KAT’s aluminium windows were chosen to replace the original leaded frames and glazing of a 1930s traditional-style black and white house in Prestbury, Cheshire.
After 20 years of maintaining their original metal and timber-sill leaded windows, some of which had not opened since they bought the house in 1996, the homeowners knew they would need to upgrade them. But they had been reluctant to do so until they found a material, colour and style that replicated the originals as closely as possible.
Until recently, PVCU alternatives did not meet the owners’ colour and style requirements and timber was a much greater investment. The family needed a durable product that was more resilient to weather conditions than wood and could offer thermal efficiency. Added to this, they would not compromise on the overall aesthetic of their house.
Having been early adopters of the increasingly popular aluminium bifold doors on their rear extension, the homeowners took the plunge to replace all rear windows, having researched and discovered KAT’s aluminium range. The frames were in-keeping with the contemporary anthracite grey bifold doors, and were available in an exact colour match of the front original window frames, painted in Farrow & Ball ‘Railings’ grey.
KAT’s range of aluminium windows and doors come with a polyamide thermal break for optimum efficiency, and come with a 10-year guarantee.
The Prestbury homeowners chose windows with clean vertical lines and opening to fit with the bifold doors.
KAT offers seven stock colours across its full aluminium range, with dual colour options. The owners opted for white internal frames to maximise the light inside, and anthracite grey external frames.
From order to delivery, the process took less than two weeks. Installation was straightforward because each frame is made to exact measurements at one of KAT’s three manufacturing facilities in Cheshire, Sussex and Ayrshire.
“We were expecting there to be some ‘making good’ on our part to fill the recesses left by the secondary glazing,” the homeowners said. “This was all taken care of by JB Installations – the windows and the inside frames looked incredibly neat, with no decorative repair work needed by us.
“The windows themselves looked beautiful externally too. We were understandably nervous to replace the original windows but the match was spot on.”
The homeowners immediately commissioned JB Installations to replace the front porch’s timber leaded windows that had been added to the house in the 1980s. KAT’s glazing range spans every period-style, with leaded glass and anthracite grey aluminium frames selected to match the originals.
“Our own cats may have been a little confused by the new vertical opening windows, but we are more than certain KAT’s aluminium window range has restored the beauty and traditional-style we aimed to achieve,” the homeowners said.
“With that in mind, there’s no doubt we will upgrade the remaining front original windows as we have the confidence in the product and service to create the desired aesthetic.”