Period living room with restored plastered walls and ceiling

Residential · Period property restoration

Period Townhouse Restoration, Kensington

Lime plaster repairs, lath and plaster ceiling restoration and matched cornice sections in a 19th-century townhouse.

Example case study — layout preview

Location: Kensington, London
Sector: Residential
Project type: Period property restoration
Client: Architect-led refurbishment
Duration: 7 weeks
Services: Lime Plastering, Decorative Plaster, Ceiling Repairs

Project overview

A 19th-century townhouse was being refurbished under an architect. Original lath and plaster ceilings and cornices in the principal rooms were to be retained, while modern gypsum patch repairs on solid walls had led to salts and blistering.

Scope of works

Removal of modern gypsum from solid walls
Re-plastering in lime in three coats
Lath and plaster ceiling consolidation
Matched cornice sections run to existing profile
Breathable finish guidance for decorators

The challenge

Damaged sections of cornice had to be matched exactly to the surviving original, and lime curing times had to fit the main contractor’s programme.

Our solution

Profiles were taken from the surviving cornice and new lengths were run to match. Lime work was programmed early, with other trades working on upper floors while coats cured.

Photography