November News

2022

This month has seen a bit of a change in my working life. For thirteen years I have run a sister site to Modelhouses called Archistory. The website was a showcase for my illustrated house history drawings. This is an idea that I hatched with my friend Paul Murray, a house historian. We came up with the concept of creating a written house history and combining it with an architectural drawing to make a large graphic image, which not only unlocked the secrets of your home, but also gave you a detailed and complex image illustrating the front facade of the house. The drawing also contained a map and usually several other graphic details, such as a close up of an interesting feature of the house.
In the years we have offered this service we have created over 200 drawings for the many owners of remarkable houses who had a fascination with the past life of their home and its occupants.
For those who might be considering this as an idea for a special gift, or are just curious about their home, there’s no need to worry! This month I decided to transfer this service to my Modelhouses website and you can find out more on my all new ‘House Histories’ page. The illustrated house history remains a unique product you can still order from us.
187 Camberwell Grove PRINT framed

The Decision to bring the illustrated house histories into the Modelhouses brand was taken to avoid confusion as many clients have recently ordered both a drawing and a model of their home. It seemed a good idea to bring every aspect of my work ‘under one roof’ (sorry about the pun).

There are now several alternative services I offer from a written house history on its own, through to the ultimate house portrait, a fully researched history combined with an architectural model. Have a look at my ‘Prices and Options’ page to compare all of these types of project.

House Histories
House Histories
House Histories

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).