Cedral cladding reimagines traditional homes

Architects are using Cedral cladding to create new homes and renovations that blend local material traditions with modern needs. This approach offers the character of vernacular architecture while meeting today’s standards for durability, comfort, and low maintenance.

The system features a wood-effect finish in various colours and installation profiles. This allows architects to reference the scale and rhythm of timber boarding without using natural wood for the exterior. It provides the look with less upkeep.

Reinterpreting Traditional Forms

Cedral Lap has an overlapping profile that evokes traditional weatherboarding. It is often used on rural cottages and farmhouses. Cedral Click uses a flush tongue-and-groove profile, which suits modern takes on vernacular styles, especially when installed vertically. This can emphasize a gabled house’s height or give a rural form a contemporary look.

Architects can also reinterpret vernacular styles by using the cladding selectively. It works well on upper floors, gable ends, rear elevations, or new extensions. This selective use adds a contemporary touch without a full overhaul of the home’s character.

Colour is a key tool for connecting a modern cladding system to its context. Earthy browns and warm greys can reference weathered timber and rural buildings. Muted greens help a house blend into wooded settings. Off-whites and pale neutrals reinterpret traditional painted weatherboarding. Dark grey and black can give a familiar form a modern identity, especially against stone or brick, and create a quiet, recessive building with carefully proportioned windows and a simple roofline.

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A Modern New England Makeover

A renovation in Surrey shows how Cedral can reinterpret a traditional aesthetic. The project uses horizontally installed Cedral Lap in Grey Brown alongside soft-shade render, drawing from the look of New England clapboard houses.

Homeowners Emma and Matt chose the material for their 1950s home. They wanted a modern makeover that offered the New England style. They were drawn to the wide range of Cedral colours and selected Grey Brown for a natural, earthy look. They also chose lap-fitting weatherboards to complete the effect.

After researching the cladding market, the couple valued Cedral’s longevity. “We wanted something that would be hard-wearing and last for a long time,” says Emma. “Wood needs a lot of maintenance, but Cedral had that wood-effect we liked so it’s the best of both worlds – the look of wood but with low maintenance.” The horizontally installed Cedral Lap in Clay Brown paired with a soft shade render added a wow effect that has impressed the couple’s 21,000 followers on Instagram.

A Contemporary Scottish Longhouse

Tony and Nicola Fraser designed a contemporary take on a traditional Scottish longhouse in the north-east Scottish countryside. They wanted a property that reflected their lifestyle, combining modern practicality with warmth and a connection to the outdoors.

Their design features clean lines and natural materials. The exterior uses Black Cedral facades that contrast with sandstone walls. Inside, vaulted ceilings, large windows, and an internal stone gable create a warm yet modern atmosphere. “The black finish worked perfectly with the sandstone,” says Tony. “We also liked that it was low maintenance and built to last.”