The Flare Journal

Plasterwork

4 stories

pink timber-framed house covered in decorative scalloped plaster

History12 min read

Pargeting: The Decorative Plasterwork on English Houses

Pargeting is decorative plasterwork applied to the outside of a building, usually lime and sand with hair as a binder. It is most associated with East Anglia, peaked...

By Gregory TireCraft and materials
grand country house with columns and tall windows

History12 min read

Houses to Visit for Beautiful Plasterwork in the UK (Shropshire First)

If you are in Shropshire, start with Attingham Park, a Georgian house near Shrewsbury. Further afield, Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire has a coloured plaster frieze in the High...

By Gregory TireCraft and materials
Flare illustration of four ceiling roses in different period styles along a timeline

History3 min read

A Short History of the Ceiling Rose: From Plaster Ceilings to Today

The ceiling rose descends from the decorated plaster ceilings of Tudor and later English houses. It became a standard feature in Georgian and especially Victorian homes, when lighting...

By Gregory TireCraft and materials
Flare illustration of a magnifying glass over three cornice profiles in a period room

3 min read

How to Identify the Period of Your House from Its Plasterwork

Crisp, restrained classical ornament with fine lines points to Georgian. Deep, heavy, naturalistic ornament with fruit, flowers and foliage points to Victorian. Lighter garlands, ribbons and swags suggest...

By Gregory TireCraft and materials

Who writes the journal

By Joseph van LockeFounder, designer and maker
By Sophia MeredithInteriors and colour
By Gregory TireCraft and materials

Bring a chapter of design history home.

Every piece is cast by hand to order in Shrewsbury.

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