Heritage refurbishment · Cardiff
Spillars
Bespoke hardwood French doors and windows, manufactured for the careful transformation of a landmark former bakery into 43 distinctive apartments.
The commission
Traditional joinery for an important Cardiff landmark
Originally built as a working bakery, Spillars is one of Cardiff’s distinctive industrial buildings. Its conversion into 43 individual apartments required a sensitive approach—retaining the character and rhythm of the original architecture while introducing the performance, comfort and reliability expected from a modern residential development. LJH & S Bespoke Joinery joined the substantial refurbishment programme in 2013, bringing specialist manufacturing experience to this important transformation.
Made for the building
Respecting the past, built for a new chapter
Our initial commission was to manufacture new hardwood French doors throughout the building. Every opening needed joinery that looked appropriate within the historic elevations, so proportion, material choice and detailing were considered carefully. The finished doors provide the strength needed for everyday residential use while sitting naturally alongside the stonework, brick arches and tall original openings.
As the wider conversion progressed, our involvement expanded to include the windows. These were produced with the same close attention to the building’s established architectural language, creating a consistent appearance across the development. Durable hardwood construction and carefully controlled workshop manufacture helped deliver a dependable, high-quality finish throughout this large and continuing programme of work.
The completed joinery forms an important part of Spillars’ new life as a residential landmark. It demonstrates how traditional craftsmanship can support a major contemporary refurbishment without losing sight of the building’s past—combining practical performance with the character, scale and permanence that such a remarkable former bakery deserves.
Project details
Craftsmanship throughout
Original photographs from the Spillars refurbishment, showing the bespoke joinery in its architectural setting.
Discuss your project
Need bespoke joinery for a character property?
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