Tanglewood: a family home transformed

FROM DATED TO DREAM HOME

Tanglewood started life as a dated mid-century house with plenty of potential and a family ready to make it their own. The whole-house renovation and extension project was led by Charles Blake Associates (CBA), with Millboard Envello cladding in Shadow Line+ Burnt Cedar chosen as a key part of the external specification. The goal was a home that would look exceptional and stand up to the reality of busy family life for years to come.

THE PROJECT

The clients purchased the property knowing it needed serious work. What followed was a total transformation, with no element left untouched. CBA added extensions at both ground and first floor level, significantly increasing the overall floor area. The result is so changed from the original that it is barely recognisable as the same building.

At the heart of the redesigned home sits a generous open entertaining space, flooded with natural light through carefully positioned rooflights and patent glazing. Ten-metre sliding aluminium doors open directly onto the terrace, garden and swimming pool, creating an easy connection between indoor living and the outdoors. This is a home designed around family life: space to gather, space for children to play, and room to breathe.

The material specification reflects that same ambition throughout. Alongside the Millboard Envello cladding, the project incorporated Taylor Maxwell stonework, GBSol solar slates for on-site electricity generation, and powder-coated aluminium glazing. Every material was chosen for longevity and quality appropriate to the scale of the project.

WHY THE FAMILY CHOSE MILLBOARD ENVELLO CLADDING

For the external cladding, the design team and clients selected Millboard Envello cladding – Shadow Line+, installed vertically to complement the clean, contemporary lines of the extended elevations.

Burnt Cedar was a deliberate choice. Its deep, warm tones reference the natural timber palette often associated with mid-century architecture, whilst giving the home a clearly modern character. The shadow detailing of the Shadow Line+ profile adds depth and texture to the facade. The effect shifts with the light throughout the day and across the seasons.

The dark tones of the Burnt Cedar cladding also work hard within the wider material palette of the building. At ground floor level, the rugged texture of the Taylor Maxwell stonework provides a strong visual base, whilst the Envello boards above bring warmth and grain to the upper elevations. Against the clean white render and the natural oak of the entrance canopy, the Burnt Cedar sits as a unifying element, tying together contrasting materials without competing with any of them. The powder-coated aluminium glazing frames echo the darker tones of the cladding, reinforcing the coherence of the overall facade.

BUILT FOR FAMILY LIFE

For a family with children, the practical case for Millboard Envello cladding was just as important as the visual one. Unlike natural timber, it does not need oiling, staining or repainting. It will not rot, warp or splinter. It holds its appearance against moisture and is highly UV resistant. For homeowners who have invested heavily in a property and want it to look as good in ten years as it does today, that is a meaningful reassurance.

The resin mineral composite construction of Millboard Envello cladding also means no rough surfaces or sharp edges on the exterior of the building, which matters when children have the run of an outdoor space.

A COLLABORATIVE ACHIEVEMENT

CBA, based in Torquay, Devon, brought over six decades of architectural experience to this project. The practice described Tanglewood as a project they were immensely proud to lead, noting that it brought together client, architect, engineer, contractor and specialist suppliers in genuine collaboration. The outcome is a home that balances architectural ambition with the warmth and practicality of everyday family living.

THE RESULT

Tanglewood is a strong example of what becomes possible when a clear family vision, a skilled design team and the right materials come together. The Envello Shadow Line+ cladding in Burnt Cedar gives the facade lasting character. It performs against the British climate and the demands of daily family life without asking anything in return.

For homeowners and architects specifying cladding for a renovation or new build, Tanglewood shows how Millboard Envello cladding can anchor an elevation with confidence and hold its quality over time.