West Court in 25 Beautiful Homes
— 28 August 2026
West Court, our Arts and Crafts extension and renovation project located in Cheltenham, is featured in the September edition of ’25 Beautiful Homes’ magazine.
The article looks into how we helped the owners thoughtfully reconfigure their period home, to create a spacious family home while retaining its heritage charm. You can read the full article in the magazine; we are delighted to share a short transcript of some of the interview here.
There is something quietly reassuring about a house that feels both rooted in history and completely attuned to modern family life. For Vicki and Nick Trueman, their handsome Arts & Crafts home in the heart of Cheltenham offers exactly that.
Built around 1901, the house retained many original Arts & Crafts features, including the staircase, stained-glass windows and fireplaces. Preserving these details became central to the renovation even though the building needed a complete overhaul. ‘The tenants told us it was incredibly cold,’ says Vicki. ‘So although we kept the character, we stripped everything back and rebuilt it properly with new insulation, a new roof and an air source heat pump.’
Upstairs thoughtful reconfiguration ensures the house works for a family of five and occasional guests. By transforming the enormous attic, which now has a dramatic roof light and glass balustrade, the family now have six bedrooms and four bathrooms across two floors. ‘Retaining the architect to help project manage the builders and the overall process was very useful,’ adds Vicki.
Thomas Jarman, projects director at William Green Architects, re-imagined the internal flow. Previously, the large hallway led to a dark boot room, offering no hint of the garden beyond. Opening this axis with pocket doors has transformed the experience of the house. ‘Now when you come in through the front door, you immediately get that sense of the garden at the back,’ says Vicki.
An old lean-to was demolished to make way for a single-storey L-shaped extension, so the actual footprint didn't change dramatically. It also allowed internal reconfiguration to accommodate a boot room, utility, walk-in pantry and cloakroom. At the heart of the new layout is a generous kitchen-diner with direct access to the garden. ‘We hoped this would be the house where the girls’ friends come after school - somewhere everyone feels welcome,’ says Vicki.
Upstairs thoughtful reconfiguration ensures the house works for a family of five and occasional guests. By transforming the enormous attic, which now has a dramatic rooflight and glass balustrade, the family now have six bedrooms and four bathrooms across two floors. ‘Retaining the architect to help project manage the builders and the overall process was very useful,’ adds Vicki.
Today the 3,500 sq ft house feels both expansive and comfortable. ‘There isn't any part of the house that doesn't get used,’ says Vicki. ‘Yes, it's a lovely large house, but we didn't want it to feel in any way not lived-in.’
For more details about the West Court project, please visit our project page here.
We are keen to work with like-minded clients who share our vision for beautiful architecture. Please get in touch to discuss how we can help bring your vision to life.