We were approached by Jill Stein Interior Designs after a recommendation by a mutual contact in the fire industry. The company were working with Simon Escapes holiday rentals on a property in the Lake District. The designers wanted a bespoke fireplace in one the reception rooms overlooking Lake Windermere. Their idea was to have the chimney breast clad in “rusty” metal panels.

We understood the look they wanted to achieve but “rusty metal” was not the appropriate material to use. With a little research and drawing on our knowledge and expertise we recommended that the panels should be made from COR-TEN steel. This material is generally used in outdoor sculptures like the Angel of the North, bridges and marine transportation as it eliminates the need for painting and forms a stable rust like appearance after being exposed to the weather.

It is also increasingly being used to clad buildings not just practical reasons but for its appearance. After sourcing the material and manufacturing the panels we had to weather the panels using chemicals to achieve the “rusty” look before installation.