Abbey Windows received the thumbs-up from owners of a property in a conservation area of Leicestershire when it proposed Plastmo’s Charisma vertical sliding profile system.

The 18th Century cottage is located in Queniborough. The village dates back to the Civil War of 1641-1651 and was noted by Pevsner, in his book, ‘The Buildings of England1951-74’, as one of the finest villages in the county.

The cottage had previously been fitted with green-painted Yorkshire sliding sashes, manufactured from timber, which had rotted beyond repair and were resulting in uncomfortable draughts. Having to continually re-paint and repair the windows had been the final straw for the owners and they therefore took the decision to replace them.

Being in a conservation area meant that the windows had to fit in with the other properties in the village. After a thorough consideration of all the alternatives, the owners chose Plastmo’s Charisma vertical sliding system, fabricated by Abbey Windows, based in Thurmaston, Leicester.

Charisma was selected because, in the opinion of the homeowner, it offered the best combination of aesthetics and performance, helping to retain the charm of this centuries old cottage.

The cream coloured profiles on Charisma are through-coloured, which will retain the visual appeal of the windows for many years to come. The owner specified vertical sliding windows with a Georgian bar option to further help the property remain in-keeping with nearby historical buildings.

In total, five Charisma cream coloured vertical sliding sash windows were fitted by Abbey Windows.  Ian Cox, director at Abbey Windows, said: “The cottage is a beautiful building and the PVC-U windows demonstrate that the material is perfectly suited to properties in conservation areas.  We have used Plastmo profile systems for many years because they can be used on a range of homes, both old and new.”

Unlike the poorly fitting sashes on the timber windows, Charisma features triple seals for exceptional draft proofing and an anti-jemmy bar and steel reinforcement for enhanced security, adding another reason why the windows were chosen. Above all, the owner is looking forward to not having to continually re-paint the windows, helped by the cream profile systems being through-coloured, which means even deep scratches never show.

Charisma vertical sliding profile system is available in white and cream colour, along with Rosewood and Golden Oak finish, as well as a new Irish Oak finish. 

For more information on Abbey Windows, telephone: 0116 269 2882 or visit: www.abbeywindowsleicester.co.uk