Location: Cambridge
Background
Dulcie’s project is a bit different from the usual renovation stories. She and her partner bought a new build in the countryside with plans to give it a completely different feel.
Instead of leaning into the typical clean, modern look, she wanted something that reminded her of the Victorian home she grew up in. Over the past year she’s been adding period details, slowly layering character into each room so the house starts to reflect more of her own style and memories.
A Closer Look at Dulcie’s Journey
What inspired your home renovation project, and what vision did you have in mind for the space?
“We purchased a new build house in the countryside from Bloor Homes. I really wanted to buy a Victorian terraced house but we struggled to find something in our location with the space we needed. So we decided to purchase something new but transform it into a faux Victorian property! It was evident when we moved in that we needed to start with some traditional period features like coving and ceiling roses to give the house some charm. So for the past year we added these features in as we decorated each room. I haven't seen anybody else do this as yet so it’s nice to show people a different design stance on a new build home.”
What made you choose plaster ceiling roses for your property, and how have our products enhanced the overall look?
“I grew up in a beautiful Victorian home and I really wanted to implement some of these features into my first owned property as a nod to my childhood. I really believe that growing up here and visiting my godmother's house influenced my love for ceiling roses and floral features in the home. I grew up surrounded by ceiling roses and Sanderson fabric!”
A wide selection of high-quality handcrafted plaster coving and ceiling rose designs with Victorian influences can be seen on our website.
Coving samples are available to buy on our website. Our coving sample packs are a perfect choice for visualising how your coving might look in the room you’re seeking to renovate. With a physical sample in hand, you can easily compare it to your room's decor and make an informed choice.
Can you describe the style and period of your property?
Dulcie is in the process of renovating her new build home in Cambridge but wanted to add some classic Victorian charm that she loved from her childhood home.
“I don't think you would look at the interior of our home and think new build. It's an eclectic mix of Victorian charm with heavy influences of the Arts and Crafts movement which features lots of floral wallpapers and chandelier lights! Visitors are often surpised when they walk in to see the home as it's not what you would expect from a new build property.“
Were there any particular challenges you faced during the renovation process, and how did you overcome them?
“I would say this is a two person job for installing but having said that, once the screws are drilled in, the cove adhesive sets quickly so you can assemble smaller sections by yourself.”
If you are intending to fit your coving yourself our plaster coving installation tools are all you need to achieve a high quality finish if you are fitting your own coving, the flexible mixing bowl is used to mix and hold casting plaster for filling the tops and bottoms of the cornice and for also filling the joints, the small trowel is used to apply the casting plaster, and the two busks to remove the surplus casting plaster. We have a range of installation videos on the website, which show these tools in use along with other helpful tips and advice on how to fit plaster coving.
We recommend fixing plaster coving with both screws and adhesive and never to rely on adhesive alone for fixing coving. Adhesive can be conveniently bought on our website.
We also sell casting plaster. We recommend only filling joints with casting plaster. Not only is casting plaster better, it costs less than filler too.
If you’re looking to call in a professional, we would happily assist you in finding an independent fitter in your area.
What made you choose said our coving and ceiling rose?
“We researched online for companies who supplied both coving and ceiling roses for our renovation plans and that's when I discovered Plaster Ceiling Roses. I checked their Instagram and Trust Pilot reviews and it was clear that their products were a cut above the rest both in quality and finish.”
Customer services is significant to us and we pride ourselves on our fast delivering.
“I fell in love with the detail on the plain acanthus ceiling rose and once I saw the images of this installed on the website, I knew I had to have one!”
Our Plaster Ceiling Rose Plain Acanthus is one of our best sellers for a reason, it’s a classic design, ideal for all period properties but its design is most favourable in Victorian properties. Dulcie grew up in a Victorian home so adding this rose to her new build gave her that familiar sense of character she’s always loved.
If you are loving the beaded rim of this rose but would like a plain central design, we have Plain Plaster Ceiling Rose with Beading 610mm dia. MPR060 which has the same beaded rim as MPR061 (which Dulcie fitted) and measures the same.
Who installed your rose / coving?
“We installed this ourselves! My partner Harry has decorating experience so it was fairly straight forward to follow tutorials from Youtube on how to install both the coving and ceiling roses."
On our YouTube account, @plasterceilingroses, we have many quick and helpful videos with tips and advice when fitting our plaster products.
If you are planning on installing your cornice and roses yourself, I advise you to checkout these videos below for some guidance.
How to mix your adhesive:
https://youtu.be/PUP7Z9hJhlI?si=TdrpSGG7xSZ1OEP5
How to install your Plaster Ceiling Rose:
https://youtu.be/UJwFhvnLLaQ?si=htSgCe_fLyEJ2pFe
How to install your coving:
Before & After
Products Used
Plaster Ceiling Rose Plain Acanthus 610mm dia. MPR061
Plaster Coving Swan Neck 100mm MPC065
Acanthus & Ovolo Plaster Ceiling Rose 500mm dia. MPR004
Final Thoughts
Dulcie’s created a beautiful home that shows that period features are not just suited for older properties, but can also work extremely well with new builds too. Rather than trying to recreate a Victorian property room-for-room, she’s pulled out the details she connects with most: floral motifs, traditional lighting, and, of course, ceiling roses. The result feels personal and homely, and it proves that new builds don’t have to stay within the usual mould.