October News

2022

As nearly all of the models I’m commissioned to make are of historic houses or period properties I usually find out a great deal about the life of the building I’m making.
I become very familiar with every aspect of the house by carrying out a measured survey in order to build my model. It’s interesting to see how many seemingly symmetrical houses are not symmetrical at all. I also discover the hidden secrets of the structure by carefully examining the fabric of the building. I can tell when restoration or modifications have been made and when it comes to making the model, the client can choose if they want the building portrayed as it exists now or as it was when originally built.
My interest in house history goes a step further as I offer the option of creating a fully researched history of the house along with the model. In some cases the text of the history and the model are displayed together as one framed piece. With other projects clients ask for the model and the history to be separate items.

Making the model and creating an illustrated house history share many aspects in common. In both cases I use the drawing I created from my measured survey. With this commission of a house in Anderson Street in Chelsea I got to work on making the model while my colleague Paul went to the local archives and researched the history of the place. Using census returns, rate books and other historic sources he was able to provide a comprehensive history of who lived in the house, their occupations and their family relationships. I also wrote a few words about the design and layout of the building and the architectural style in relation to the fashions of the period.

Here is an example of when the house history and model are combined in one frame. It’s a unique fusion which captures not only the appearance of the house, but also unlocks its hidden past and reveals the lives of the previous owners.

Any Building Anywhere

Please feel free to get in touch to make an appointment. Remember that it is possible to create models of any type of building, from town house to shop or country house. Without a site visit this makes the ultimate in surprise gifts! This service is not limited to the UK and commissions are welcome from anywhere in the world! Please email me a single photo of your house and I will provide you with an estimate, or give me a call for more information. The usual cost of a house portrait model in a box frame is around £2,250+vat.   (more details about ‘small projects’ here).