Located in Sevenoaks, Kent, Glade House presents a captivating 21st Century re-imagining of a listed Arts and Crafts home, delivering a wholly unique interior renovation. Armourcoat’s Polished Plaster finish, Spatulata, is skillfully applied to the curved underside of a new feature staircase, delivering a luxurious seamless finish across its distinct architectural form, designed by Kent-based practice AV Architects.
The design process involved the property being stripped back to just its external walls, with the internal layout opened up via concealed steel beams spanning over eight metres. At the street-facing elevation, a single storey entrance porch was replaced with a new two storey gable to accommodate the relocated staircase, skilfully composed to reflect the heritage of the dwelling and establishing a new central feature within the home.
Connecting five floor levels in the house, the newly created feature staircase involved hundreds of hours of work including design, detail, fabrication, and install. Its unique organic form is designed to celebrate the tradition of the Arts and Crafts movement championed by William Morris, including a bespoke metalwork balustrade created by Forging Matters and light sculpture chandelier by Andreea Braescu, in addition to Armourcoat Polished Plaster.
Armourcoat’s Spatulata Polished Plaster radiates iridescent elegance across the new architectural structure, catching the gentle light spilling through from the stained-glass windows at the front of the property. A highly polished marble stucco material with notable depth, Spatulata delivers a characteristically glass-like surface to the new feature staircase, working in perfect harmony with the bespoke metalwork balustrade and porcelain chandelier. Specified in a bespoke silver-grey tone, the softly luxurious polished plaster finish instils a soothing, serene ambience to the central area of the home.
Spatulata Polished Plaster is hand applied in numerous fine layers and trowel-polished to a high-gloss finish, highlighting the inherent movement established during the traditional application process. Its remarkable depth and sheen is achieved on site through the craftsmanship of Armourcoat’s expert application team, with the final installation presenting a smooth, glossy surface displaying non-directional pattern.
Made using ultra-fine lime putty, finely milled marble powder, and natural pigments, the final surface finish is exceptionally hard, owing to the high quality of the slaked lime and marble used in its manufacturing process. Armourcoat Spatulata can be tinted to almost any colour of the spectrum; with additional surface enhancements available for designers working on bespoke schemes, such as two-tone colourway options and pearlescent or metallic washes.
Armourcoat Polished Plaster finishes are consciously crafted for architectural interiors, offering a range of surface effects such as concrete, stone, and marble. Made in the UK using raw natural materials, Armourcoat Polished Plaster finishes present a durable, breathable, biodegradable surface with zero solvents and VOCs – delivering seamless, hand-applied surfaces with minimal environmental and health impact.
All Armourcoat finishes are supplied with Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and Health Product Declaration (HPD) documentation, fully detailing their minimal environmental and health impact data. Spatulata achieves Indoor Air Comfort Pass certification, with a naturally high alkalinity delivering antimicrobial properties, making it highly resistant to bacteria and mould.