Focus SB recently played a part in preserving the Baroque interior of the Queen’s State Apartments at Hampton Court Palace.
When the Hampton Court Beauties exhibition ended in December, Harry Brimmel, maintenance manager at Hampton Court Palace, saw a rare window of opportunity to undertake some much needed re-wiring in the Queens State Apartments.
The historical significance of Hampton Court Palace meant the refurbishment had to be completed with minimal to no impact on the interior. “You simply cannot drill through walls here,” Harry explained. If there were any changes to the external face, then these had to match the rest of the interior and go unnoticed.
When preserving a historical treasure, time is not of the essence, but rather patience. So time was taken to thread cable from one room to the next by going up three stories and down again so not to make any fresh insertions into the walls. Pre-existing pathways were followed from lamp to socket to switch.
The electrical plates, the face of the re-wiring, were all made bespoke, in order to match the old, by Focus SB. The plates had to be approved by English Heritage. This planning process took around six weeks and Focus SB had to be prepared to make the alterations, which they were and did.
Harry commented: “The amount of work that went into this simple job is incredible. Focus SB were good to us; they were patient and empathetic to our requirements. This was a very particular job and they never promised more than they could deliver.”
Roger Kemp, managing director of the UK manufacturing company Focus SB, commented on what it was like to work to such specific criteria: “As a UK manufacturer it is really satisfying to be working on historic UK properties in conjunction with English Heritage in order to maintain the integrity of the building for future generations.”
Focus SB has worked on interiors from the grand to the humble, and from the ultra modern to the classical. They have worked closely with interior designers to create beautiful electrical accessories that adorn a room, feel luxurious and at a price that doesn’t bust the budget.
For more information telephone 01424 858060 or visit http://www.focus-sb.co.uk
Images: The palace plates used were the Bronze Antique, Bronze Chocolate Finish. The Focus Floor Plates with Flip Lip were primed so they could then be painted the same colour of the walls and blend in.
