‘I hate throwing anything away' - Lancashire designer & BBC star on his house renovation
Designer and BBC Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant has lifted the lid on the renovation journey at his house in Lancashire.
Scottish-born Patrick owns the historic clothing manufacturer Cookson & Clegg in Blackburn where he also founded Community Clothing, and now lives in a 17th century home in the Ribblesdale area.
As part of its renovation, he has completed a remarkable restoration of a 1950s ESSE heating stove, with the help of a Barnoldswick company.
“I hate throwing anything away,”’ said Patrick. “This house dates back to 1690; it has a long history. It's been lived in by lots of people, and I wanted everything that I did inside the house to reflect that idea of longevity, history and quality.”
When he began to renovate this historic property close to the Lancashire/Yorkshire border, Patrick was keen to keep and restore as much of the home’s heritage as possible, from the wallpaper and furniture, to the pictures on the walls.
In the dining room of the property, Patrick found an original enamelled ESSE 450 stove that he immediately knew he wanted to restore rather than replace. He said: “You know, when you repair something, it's an act of kindness towards the planet and an act of kindness towards the object itself… it's an acknowledgement of the value of the craftsmanship that has gone into making something.”
The 450 model stove was produced by ESSE in the 1950s and perfectly embodies the style of the time. “It's a really, really beautiful object”, he said. “The 50s were sort of the age of the jet set, and people were thinking very futuristically. It's got these wonderful, organic curves on the front. I mean, the proportions of it are beautiful, and the bluey green enamel gives it just this incredible iridescence.”
Patrick worked with Barnoldswick-based ESSE to bring the stove back to full working order and ensure it met today’s stringent efficiency standards. He explains: “We were able to preserve the beautiful 1950s enamelled shell and put a modern, clean burning fire box inside it, and it looks exactly like the original, but it now is a wonderful modern, piece of equipment.
“It makes me really happy to think that this thing that has been in this house for 70+ years will hopefully now be in this house another 70, and maybe more to come.”
ESSE Director Peter Ashby said: “It was a pleasure to work with Patrick on this project and help give one of our heritage models a new lease of life. Since it was founded in 1854, ESSE has remained a proud brand, unwilling to compromise on quality, and that’s an ethos we share with Patrick and his sustainable Community Clothing label.
“ESSEs are built for durability, efficiency and longevity and, by simply switching out the firebox for one that more readily meets modern requirements, we’ve ensured this striking stove can live on for many more years to come.”
Patrick added: “I think about lasting quality in everything I do for Community Clothing, and that’s reflected in the way I’ve renovated the house, from buying furniture that has already had a 300-year life to working with ESSE to restore the 1950s enamelled burner. I tried to safeguard the beautiful things that were part of the house.”
Support your Lancashire Post and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest football stories and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.