Location: Chertsey
A substantial Arts and Crafts home near Chertsey has entered a new chapter following the installation of bespoke, high-performing pebble grey aluminium-clad timber windows from the Internorm Home Pure range. Combining traditional architectural character with modern comfort, the renovation demonstrates how carefully specified aluminium-clad timber windows can improve energy efficiency without compromising the identity of a period property.
Located in the semi-rural village of Lyne, between Chertsey and Virginia Water, this detached family home occupies a peaceful position surrounded by mature trees and countryside. Close-panel gates open onto an extensive driveway, landscaped gardens and an impressive asymmetrical frontage.
Built in the Arts and Crafts style of the 1920s, the house features traditional brickwork, a sweeping tiled roof with deep eaves, and a curved eyebrow dormer window. Its original leaded-glass casement windows also contributed greatly to its distinctive appearance.
The Chertsey homeowners purchased the property in January 2021 and planned a complete renovation. Eighteen white uPVC windows with diamond lead detailing needed to be replaced. Although the owners wanted brighter interiors and better performance, retaining the home’s period charm remained central to the brief.
The Chertsey homeowners contacted Thames Valley Windows to explore a bespoke glazing solution that would introduce more natural light while making the property more comfortable and sustainable in the long term.
Our Sales Manager Luke arranged a site visit to assess the building and discuss the owners’ practical and aesthetic requirements. The project called for windows and doors that would respect the original architecture while delivering the thermal performance expected from a modern, high-quality glazing system.
During a showroom appointment, Luke introduced the homeowners to a wide range of Internorm and VELFAC products at different price points. Full-colour 3D visuals were prepared to illustrate the proposed designs, finishes and configurations. These allowed the owners to see how the completed scheme would complement the brickwork and established architectural details before making their final choices.
The Chertsey homeowners selected the Internorm HF410 system from the Home Pure range. Its narrow composite profile, excellent energy efficiency and low-maintenance construction offered the right combination of appearance and functionality for the project.
An aluminium-clad timber window brings together two materials with complementary qualities. The internal timber frame creates warmth and visual softness, while the external aluminium protects the timber from rain, sunlight and changing weather conditions.
This aluminium exterior provides greater durability than an exposed timber window and requires relatively little maintenance. As a result, alu-clad timber windows are particularly suitable for homeowners who appreciate the natural appearance of wood but want a robust external finish and a longer life expectancy.
The HF410 is constructed using timber, highly insulating foam and external aluminium. A triple-gasket sealing system supports weather resistance, airtightness and acoustic insulation. Internorm’s I-tec Core and I-tec Glazing technologies also provide strength and stability, making it possible to create generous glazed areas with refined frames.
Available with triple glazing, the system can achieve a U-value as low as approximately 0.64 W/m²K, depending on the exact specification. This enhanced thermal performance helps reduce unwanted heat loss and supports a more consistent indoor temperature throughout the seasons.
The windows are manufactured in Austria using carefully selected European timber sourced from sustainably managed forests. Sections with an even grain are chosen to create an attractive and consistent interior finish. Each unit is made to order, enabling its dimensions, glazing, opening style and colours to be coordinated with the property.
For the outside of the frames, the homeowners chose low-maintenance powder-coated aluminium in a matt Pebble Grey finish, RAL 7032. The understated shade complements the varied tones of the heritage brickwork and weathered roof tiles.
Internorm products are available in a wide range of RAL colours, allowing the aluminium exterior to be matched or contrasted with a building’s materials. Inside this home, the timber was finished in special spruce colour FI916. Its natural tone brings warmth and elegance to the neutral interior scheme.
Externally, the slim profiles and traditional glazing bars mimic the appearance of flush timber windows. Internally, the wood adds a luxury quality that would be difficult to reproduce with aluminium or uPVC alone. This balance helped the new pebble grey aluminium clad windows feel appropriate to the architecture rather than appearing like an unrelated modern addition.
The completed scheme combines fixed glazing with inward-opening tilt and turn windows. These versatile units can tilt from the top for controlled ventilation or turn inwards for a wider opening and convenient cleaning.
Tilt and turn windows can also accommodate larger dimensions than many conventional casement windows, helping create broader panes of glass and clearer views. Traditional outward-opening designs can work well in other settings, but the selected inward-opening system suited the layout and performance requirements of this family home.
The narrow frames and larger glazed sections now allow daylight to penetrate more deeply into the living spaces. As the sun moves around the house, changing pockets of natural light bring greater brightness to rooms from morning through to evening.
Internorm HF410 triple-glazed pebble grey aluminium clad windows were installed extensively throughout the property. At the front, the curved eyebrow dormer remains a defining feature above the large bay window. The new glazing preserves its recognisable shape while helping fill the main living room with daylight.
A small porthole-style window beside the entrance provides another memorable detail. To the rear, a tall arched window creates a dramatic focal point, while the curved bay overlooks the garden and brings together several slender glazed sections.
Georgian-style bars were incorporated across the scheme to maintain the aesthetics of the original leaded casement windows. Their considered proportions ensure that the new glazing remains sympathetic to the period house when viewed from the driveway, garden or surrounding landscape.
The renovation has transformed the property into a comfortable modern family home while enhancing its Arts and Crafts origins. Triple glazing, insulated composite frames and effective seals contribute to improved energy efficiency, sound reduction and weather protection.
At the same time, the alu-clad timber construction provides the character of natural wood indoors and the resilience of powder-coated aluminium outside. This durable combination should help protect the windows over their long-term service life while reducing routine maintenance demands.
Most importantly, the new glazing has strengthened the connection between the interiors and the surrounding gardens. Larger areas of glass frame countryside views and bring abundant natural light into the home without disrupting its period character.
The finished Chertsey project shows that upgrading a heritage-inspired property does not require choosing between appearance and performance. Through sensitive design, carefully selected materials and bespoke detailing, these high-performing aluminium-clad timber windows have restored the house with elegance whilst preserving its history
See the before image in the gallery
The Chertsey homeowners are delighted with their new pebble grey aluminium-clad timber windows from the Internorm Home Pure range and advised:
Quality was the deciding factor for us.
Love our windows, pleased with the quality and insulation it provides. This helps for heat/cold temp as well as noise cancelling.
Approved vendor for our windows.
Very happy with service and installation.
You may also be interested in reading our blog,’ Why Choose Internorm Windows and Doors?
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Thames Valley Window Company
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