A £170,000 renovation has transformed this character build property into a beautiful four bedroom home with open planned living and stunning views overlooking the River Thames. The property, situated in Purley on Thames, Berkshire, was renovated by Kevin Brown and his wife, who wanted to make the most of its riverside location.  

The renovation, which has taken over three years to complete, includes replacing the original chunky wooden sliding doors, which let in draught and flooded around the seals, with bespoke aluminium bi-folding doors from Origin.

Kevin said: “I knew I wanted bi-folds because of the space they offer. I was drawn to the functionality and how you can open up and transform an entire space.”

Four set of bi-folds were installed in total. Two sets of three door configurations were installed on the ground floor generating a seamless link between the living room and front garden removing the boundaries between inside and outside, which leads the eye right down to the riverfront. The doors were fitted into apertures of 2967mm and each door leaf measured 939mm by a standard height 2271mm.

Upstairs, two further sets of bi-folds were installed, opening up the kitchen and dining area onto a balcony. These fitted apertures of 2965mm, again with each door leaf measuring 939mm by a standard height of 2126mm.  The doors open up fully and connect to a gable window, allowing for maximum natural light to flood into the home.

The aluminium doors are powdercoated in anthracite grey to complement the dark, wooden beams in the house, but also fade into the background, drawing the eye to the spectacular view outside. The high grade powder coated finish of the doors removes the need for periodic painting and maintenance, while the hard wearing finish protects against scratches and colour fading, minimising the upkeep of the doors.

Each door section has its own long wheelbase solid aluminium carriage with four wheels that run inside a low threshold base concealed track, so with just a gentle push the Browns can create a whole new living space with their home.  The homeowner undertook the renovation, working with Origin to ensure the roof was supported to create a frameless appearance both internally and externally when the doors are opened. The process from ordering the door to installation took four weeks thanks to Origin’s ‘Your Lead Time, Not Ours’ zero lead time service, meaning the couple were able to have the bi-fold doors delivered according to their timeframe.

Origin also supplied the windows for the project when the Brown’s found they could not find a window to match the high quality and style of Origin’s bi-fold door. Origin designed bespoke fixed pane windows in the home. In the living room downstairs, a two window set with a width of 2578mm by 1370mm, powder coated in Graphite Grey, has been installed to run on the wall adjacent to the bi-fold doors. A similar approach was taken in the kitchen, with Origin designing fixed floor-to-ceiling windows with a 2280mm width and 2260mm height, to match the bi-fold doors looking out onto the River Thames.

Origin introduced a new flush casement window system during the build and, following the launch, the couple installed two sets of Origin windows in their kitchen; a 2560mm by 870mm set and a 1685mm by 865mm set, both finished in black with a secure by design Yale locking system.  The Origin Window has a one week lead time, unrivalled within the glass and glazing industry.

To complete the look, the Brown’s chose Origin’s electric roller blinds in Strata SPC Parchment and Perspective Grey fabric, each tailor made to fit the bi-fold doors perfectly and designed to reduce heat build-up in summer and heat loss in the winter.

The installation of Origin’s bi-fold doors, windows and blinds mean the couple is now able to enjoy to the fullest the gorgeous views the property offers overlooking the River Thames.   In addition to maximising their living space, the Browns have attractively redecorated throughout including the master bedroom, en-suite and dressing room and one of the bathrooms, whilst also renovating the garage block and front garden.

The Owners:

Mr and Mrs Brown, a couple from Berkshire

The Location:

A four-bedroom detached house in Purley on Thames, Berkshire

The Cost:

The couple spent approximately £170,000 refurbishing their home. This included the installation of 4 sets of Origin Bi-fold Doors costing £1000-1200 per door leaf, as well as Origin Windows and Blinds.

For further information, please visit www.origin-global.com