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Tivoli Street Conversion

  • In the fashionable Tivoli area of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, one long and much-altered building had become a bit of an architectural puzzle. Originally three small houses, later two separate dwellings and eventually one awkward layout, containing a small watch mender’s shop and associated accommodation. RRA Architects was appointed to remodel the property into two well-proportioned contemporary homes.
  • Status: Completed 2022
  • Location: Tivoli, Cheltenham
  • Value: £300,000
  • Structural Engineer: David Partridge
  • Photo Credit: Kenneth James Photography and Elliot Olivers
  • Developer: Powles Properties Ltd
  • Categories: Developer Residential & Strategic Land, Extensions & Small Projects
  • Tags: Change of use, Cheltenham, Contemporary Home, Refurbishment, Residential Architect Gloucestershire, Residential Conversion Cheltenham, RRA Architects, Two Home Conversion
Completed exterior of 53 and 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing the dark contemporary frontage of number 53 beside the restored white frontage of number 54 after conversion into two homes
Animated before and after view of 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, changing from the former W A Williams watch repair shop frontage to the completed dark contemporary one-bed home after residential conversion
Before image of the former watch repair shop interior at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with blue flooring, old fireplace, wall cupboards, shelves and a W A Williams watch and clock repairs sign leaning in the corner
Open-plan kitchen and living space at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing a retained brick fireplace, herringbone floor, dark kitchen units, pale walls, brass tap and black-framed courtyard doors
Detailed view of the compact kitchen at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with dark lower cabinets, pale wall cupboards, white metro tile splashback, brass tap, brass handles, brass sockets and a black-framed window
Completed bedroom at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing a simple light grey room with sloped ceiling, sash window, radiator, soft carpet and wall lights within the converted one-bed home
Compact shower room at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with pale grey wall tiles, black-framed glass shower enclosure, black shower fittings, white toilet and a clean contemporary layout
Night-time view of the completed front door and sash windows at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing the refurbished white street frontage, black painted door, black window sills and discreet external lighting
Before image inside the Tivoli Street property in Cheltenham, showing a dated bathroom with patterned green wall covering beside a dark narrow corridor and staircase, illustrating the awkward layout before refurbishment
Before image of an outdated bedroom in the Tivoli Street property in Cheltenham, with pale pink walls, old fitted cupboards, open wardrobe, radiator, dated light fittings, carpet and a doorway leading to a darker hallway.
Contemporary living room at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with blue sofas, orange armchair, patterned herringbone floor, soft grey walls, wall lights and a low timber media unit
Open-plan ground floor at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing dining table, timber slatted stair screen, carpeted staircase, patterned floor, blue kitchen units and bright sash windows
Timber slatted screen and concealed storage at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with vertical timber battens separating the staircase from the kitchen and living area while maintaining light through the open-plan space
Contemporary kitchen inside 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with dark blue cabinetry, white worktops, patterned herringbone floor, sash windows, integrated appliances and an open-plan dining area beyond
En-suite bathroom at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing a sliding timber door, sash window, radiator, black-framed shower screen, wall-hung toilet, timber vanity unit and contemporary black fittings
Finished bedroom at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with a vaulted ceiling, exposed timber beam, sash window, soft grey walls, carpet, dark wardrobe, double bed and contemporary furniture within the refurbished two-bed home
RRA Architects MD Mark Powles receiving a Cheltenham Civic Awards 2023 certificate from Mayor Paul Baker, recognising the renovation and refurbishment of the Tivoli Street conversion project in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
  • Completed exterior of 53 and 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing the dark contemporary frontage of number 53 beside the restored white frontage of number 54 after conversion into two homes
  • Animated before and after view of 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, changing from the former W A Williams watch repair shop frontage to the completed dark contemporary one-bed home after residential conversion
  • Before image of the former watch repair shop interior at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with blue flooring, old fireplace, wall cupboards, shelves and a W A Williams watch and clock repairs sign leaning in the corner
  • Open-plan kitchen and living space at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing a retained brick fireplace, herringbone floor, dark kitchen units, pale walls, brass tap and black-framed courtyard doors
  • Detailed view of the compact kitchen at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with dark lower cabinets, pale wall cupboards, white metro tile splashback, brass tap, brass handles, brass sockets and a black-framed window
  • Completed bedroom at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing a simple light grey room with sloped ceiling, sash window, radiator, soft carpet and wall lights within the converted one-bed home
  • Compact shower room at 53 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with pale grey wall tiles, black-framed glass shower enclosure, black shower fittings, white toilet and a clean contemporary layout
  • Night-time view of the completed front door and sash windows at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing the refurbished white street frontage, black painted door, black window sills and discreet external lighting
  • Before image inside the Tivoli Street property in Cheltenham, showing a dated bathroom with patterned green wall covering beside a dark narrow corridor and staircase, illustrating the awkward layout before refurbishment
  • Before image of an outdated bedroom in the Tivoli Street property in Cheltenham, with pale pink walls, old fitted cupboards, open wardrobe, radiator, dated light fittings, carpet and a doorway leading to a darker hallway.
  • Contemporary living room at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with blue sofas, orange armchair, patterned herringbone floor, soft grey walls, wall lights and a low timber media unit
  • Open-plan ground floor at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing dining table, timber slatted stair screen, carpeted staircase, patterned floor, blue kitchen units and bright sash windows
  • Timber slatted screen and concealed storage at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with vertical timber battens separating the staircase from the kitchen and living area while maintaining light through the open-plan space
  • Contemporary kitchen inside 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with dark blue cabinetry, white worktops, patterned herringbone floor, sash windows, integrated appliances and an open-plan dining area beyond
  • En-suite bathroom at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, showing a sliding timber door, sash window, radiator, black-framed shower screen, wall-hung toilet, timber vanity unit and contemporary black fittings
  • Finished bedroom at 54 Tivoli Street in Cheltenham, with a vaulted ceiling, exposed timber beam, sash window, soft grey walls, carpet, dark wardrobe, double bed and contemporary furniture within the refurbished two-bed home
  • RRA Architects MD Mark Powles receiving a Cheltenham Civic Awards 2023 certificate from Mayor Paul Baker, recognising the renovation and refurbishment of the Tivoli Street conversion project in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

RRA Architects was asked to assess the property with a view to residential conversion. Although the building had originally been three tiny houses, it had spent much of its life as two separate properties. Number 53 Tivoli Street was a small shop with living accommodation above and number 54 was a house. At some point the residential accommodations had been merged into one. There was certainly plenty of character, years of piecemeal alterations had created a maze of narrow corridors, dark rooms, odd cupboards and awkward spaces.

A provisional scheme was prepared before the building was purchased at auction in November 2020, allowing the planning application to move quickly once the purchase was complete. Planning permission to return the single property back into two homes, along with change of use approval to convert the former shop from commercial to residential, was achieved within ten weeks.

The scheme stripped the property back to its original shell and reworked the long building into two contemporary homes: a compact one-bed micro house at 53 Tivoli Street and an open plan two-bed house at 54 Tivoli Street. Both homes were designed to make much better use of natural light, with small courtyard gardens, improved layouts and carefully positioned rooflights helping to brighten the interiors.

As with many older buildings, there were a few surprises along the way. Under the old worn carpets, the timber floor was badly decayed in places. Further investigation revealed an old well below the floor, a reminder of the building’s earlier life. In the early 19th century, it was unusual but not unheard of for a well to sit within a kitchen or scullery, sometimes supplying water to other houses nearby. Sadly, this one was not suitable to restore as a feature, so the structural engineer advised on how to safely cover it and allow the floor works to continue.

 

 

The roof was in better condition and only required minor works following the installation of the rooflights. Purpose-made heritage sash windows replaced the old draughty windows and rotten frames, while the interiors were fully insulated, replastered and upgraded for modern living.

The result is a thoughtful property refurbishment in Cheltenham that respects the history of the building without getting stuck in the past. Number 53 has been transformed from the old watch repair shop into a smart one-bed home, while number 54 has become a generous two-bed house with open-plan living and carefully detailed interiors.

The two-bed house was completed first and was rented within five days of reaching the open market. Number 53 has since been completed and rented too.

A lovely surprise came in 2023 when 54 Tivoli Street won a Cheltenham Civic Society Award for Renovation and Refurbishment in 2023, recognising the care taken in bringing this tired building back to life. Not a bad result for a property that started the project as a maze of dark rooms, narrow corridors and confusing alterations.