Dressed in Fraké

The attic conversion adds a full third floor to the house — a spacious study, a utility room, and a storage loft with just enough room for a guest bed. For the exterior we chose Frake timber, a durable hardwood that weathers naturally to grey. Pre-greyed from the start, so it would blend in straight away with the existing 1930s brick while still looking distinct. Quite a bit of time went into the window proportions and frame depth — the deeper frames were needed to fit the electric blinds.

The architectural drawings and permit application came first, then a contractor for the structural shell. After that the interior was largely self-built: framing the partition walls, fitting the door frames, installing most of the insulation, and putting up plasterboard on both walls and ceilings. Plastering was left to a professional. The interior doors were found second-hand — it took some searching, but they match the rest of the house well.

The result is a floor that feels like it belongs. Functional without being too tight, and the Frake facade manages to do what it was meant to — natural enough to sit quietly next to the 1930s brick, distinct enough to stand out.