Case Study: Heritage Portland Stone Walling - South Lake District Project

Posted on 31st October 2025

Project Overview

Located in the beautiful South Lake District, this project involved transforming the rear elevation of a traditional home into an elegant garden focal point.

The homeowners wanted to replace a plain rendered section of their house frontage with a natural stone walling feature that complemented the surrounding patio, garden, and decked seating area. The design brief was simple but ambitious, to create a structure that added warmth, texture, and timeless appeal while blending naturally with the existing cream-rendered property.

The area shown in the before photo below was originally a flat patio section with a low gravel base. The goal was to enhance this area and tie it visually into the rest of the garden using a high-quality British stone with a classic, soft cream tone.

Before:

Materials Used

The walling chosen for this transformation was Heritage Portland Stone Walling, supplied by Stone & Surfaces Direct.

This natural limestone is sourced from the Isle of Portland, Dorset - the same historic stone used in many of Britain’s landmark buildings. It’s renowned for its warm cream and buff tones, fine texture, and excellent weather resistance, making it ideal for exterior applications in both modern and traditional settings.

The Heritage Portland Stone Walling provided the perfect match for the property’s pale render and natural landscape tones, allowing the new structure to sit harmoniously within its surroundings.

Challenges and Solutions

The project site presented a few challenges typical of walling work in the Lake District:

• Uneven groundwork: The existing area beneath the bay window had a slight fall from the decked area to the patio. Proper levelling and a compacted sub-base ensured a stable foundation for the new stonework.
• Space maximisation. Critical to the design was the need to align the outside building face with the extension. Most similar natural stone options have a range of bed widths of between 120-180mm which would impact on the method of construction and the internal floor area, but as the Heritage Portland stone is split to a nominal and consistent 100mm this simplified construction. This meant that the floor area desired was not reduced or compromised.
• Weather considerations: The building was at an exposed location near to the sea, so it was important that the product used was durable and hard wearing. The dense and high-performance characteristics of the Heritage Portland stone meant it was ideal for the chosen application.
• Design alignment: Careful thought was given to how the new stonework would align with the deck and patio steps. The result is a seamless transition between the original materials and the new feature walling.

The Project Journey

In the before image, the area beneath the bay window is a blank space with a gravel sub-base, which was functional but lacking in character. The transformation introduced a stunning new wall feature that connects the home and garden with visual continuity.

The stone walling was meticulously laid to complement the proportions of the house and the surrounding garden features. Its natural texture adds depth, while the warm tones reflect light beautifully, even on overcast Lake District days.

After:

The Result

The completed walling instantly elevates the property’s exterior, creating a sense of permanence and quality that blends effortlessly with the house’s architecture.

• The Heritage Portland Stone Walling enhances the natural landscape, complementing the surrounding garden and planting.
• The wall’s subtle colour variations bring warmth and texture to the space, tying together the patio, deck, and planting areas.
• From every angle, the new walling adds definition and craftsmanship - turning what was once a plain area into a refined garden centrepiece.

The transformation demonstrates how natural British stone can bring authenticity, beauty, and timeless style to a modern home while remaining perfectly in tune with its environment.

Product Used

Heritage Portland Stone Walling, sourced from the historic Isle of Portland in Dorset, is available exclusively at Stone & Surfaces Direct.