Hitherbury House was designed by Richard Norman Shaw (1831- 1912), a British architect and urban designer important for his residential architecture and role in the English Domestic Revival movement. Hitherbury House (1883) is a detached villa commissioned by Thomas Wilde Powell. Shaw’s Arts and Crafts vernacular design made imaginative use of the steeply sloping site by locating the entrance door at first-floor level, with the raised access from the Portsmouth Road, giving the impression of a castle drawbridge. The design features Shaw’s characteristic use of club pattern tile hanging, tall chimneys and horizontal bands of leaded light windows.

The location and layout of the original structure allowed the developer, Milton Central, a spacial freedom not normally associated with modern property design. The choice of Cornice profile to be used was based upon this necessity to adhere to the Shaw legacy whilst at the same time making the most of the spacious and high-ceilinged living areas and delivering a modern up to date feel.

This goal was achieved through the use of our standard plain drip style designs, varying the three different sizes throughout the sleeping; living and communal hallway areas to suit.

This design was then further enhanced within the dining and reception rooms through the formation of an illuminated detail. The profile of the cornice was based upon the larger drip design being fitted to a bespoke integral plaster “shelf” segment – thus negating the need for any special fitting brackets and providing a solid and flat surface for light and cable installation.