A Coastal Home Transformed Over Time in Cultra

Designing for a Home Beside Belfast Lough

The location of this property is one of the things that makes it so special.

Sitting right on the coast of Belfast Lough, the home enjoys beautiful views, but its exposed position also meant that performance had to be considered carefully when selecting each element of the project.

Our clients wanted to retain the light, open character of the property with white finished internally, while introducing a contemporary anthracite grey finish across the windows, doors and exterior detailing.

REHAU 70mm uPVC frames were used throughout the property, combined with high performance ClimaGuard 1.0 glazing to provide excellent thermal performance and protection from the Northern Ireland weather.

The result is a contemporary finish that suits the architecture beautifully while providing the performance required for such an exposed coastal home.

A Sunroom Designed to Belong

Our work at the property began with the new sunroom extension in 2016.

Rather than creating a room that looked like a later addition, the sunroom was carefully designed to complement the proportions and character of the existing house.

Anthracite grey frames create a strong contemporary contrast against the original property, while extensive glazing makes the most of the surrounding views and fills the room with natural daylight.

Tilt and turn windows were incorporated into the design, giving our clients excellent control over ventilation. During warmer weather the windows can be opened to maximise airflow throughout the room, while the thermally efficient REHAU frames and ClimaGuard glazing help retain warmth and comfort during the colder months.

It created a bright, versatile room designed to be enjoyed throughout the seasons.

Opening the Home to the Outdoors

As work continued throughout the property, large areas of glazing were introduced to strengthen the connection between the house and its coastal surroundings.

Two sets of four pane aluminium bifold doors were installed into another sunroom extension, designed to meet at the corner and open the room beautifully to the outside.

Large glazed panels provide uninterrupted views when the doors are closed, while opening the bifolds creates a wonderful connection between the interior and the outdoor entertaining areas.

Each installation was designed individually, but the consistent finishes allow the different elements to work together as part of one home.

A Coastal Inspired Entrance

The new front entrance gave us an opportunity to introduce a little more colour.

Our clients selected an Apeer composite front door in Chartwell Green, framed beautifully by anthracite grey.

A distinctive porthole style glazed detail was chosen for the door, a lovely feature for a home sitting beside Belfast Lough and one that gives the entrance its own personality while still complementing the contemporary exterior.

The contrasting Chartwell Green, anthracite grey and satin furniture provide a softer focal point amongst the darker window frames and architectural detailing.

Extending the Design to the Guest House

As the wider property continued to develop, a new two storey guest house was constructed to the rear.

Budget Designer HomeWorks returned to supply and install the windows and doors, continuing the anthracite grey finish already established across the main house.

The upper floor incorporates a striking glazed apex window above the uPVC sliding patio doors overlooking the garden, with glass balustrades installed across the balcony.

Safety glazing was used throughout the balustrade system, creating the required protection without obstructing the view or introducing heavy visual barriers.

From the glazing and frames to the balcony detailing, the guest house was designed to feel connected to the main property rather than standing separately from it.

Completing the Exterior with Aluminium Roofline

With the windows, doors and extensions progressively transformed, attention also turned to the roofline.

Anthracite grey aluminium roofline was installed around the property, continuing the darker detailing established by the frames and doors. The dual powder-coated finish will protect the roofline against the harsh coastal weather conditions.

Against the red brick, white render and coastal surroundings, the finished roofline provides a crisp architectural edge and helps bring the different elements of this substantial property together.

It is one of those details that may not immediately demand attention, but makes an enormous difference to the overall finished appearance.

Bringing the Same Design Inside

Years after our first visit, our relationship with this home has continued.

More recently, we were invited back once again, this time to bring the same considered approach to the interior of the property with the installation of aluminium heritage doors.

It feels particularly fitting that a relationship which began with a new sunroom in 2016 has now progressed throughout virtually every part of the home.

Over the years we have watched individual projects gradually become one complete transformation.

A Home We Have Loved Watching Evolve

There is something very special about being invited back to the same home again and again.

Our clients have trusted Budget Designer HomeWorks with their sunroom, windows, external doors, bifold doors, sliding doors, guest house glazing, balcony balustrades, aluminium roofline and, most recently, their heritage internal doors.

Rather than one enormous renovation, the property has evolved carefully over time, with each new element designed to complement the work that came before it.

The finished home is absolutely beautiful.

For our team, being asked back through each stage of its transformation is something we are incredibly proud of. There is no greater endorsement of our work than a client choosing to work with us again when their next project comes along.