Michiel Brouns
Michiel Brouns is a heritage-building specialist, entrepreneur, and author whose work bridges traditional craftsmanship with modern performance standards in both historic glazing and natural paints. Trained as a historic building surveyor in the Netherlands, Michiel moved to the UK in 2006 and has since become a leading figure in the practical application and commercial revival of historically accurate, sustainable building materials.
He is the founder of Histoglass Ltd, a pioneering company specialising in high-performance insulating glazing for historic and listed buildings. Histoglass developed bespoke slim-profile double-glazed units that retain original sightlines, putty profiles, and timber sections while significantly improving thermal and acoustic performance. His glazing work has been applied across a wide range of sensitive conservation contexts, including Grade I and II listed buildings, conservation areas, and scheduled heritage assets* throughout the UK. He sold his shares in 2023 and has now started a new bespoke glass company in the USA under the name Brouns Glass LLC.
Building on this deep understanding of historic fabric, moisture movement, and material compatibility, Michiel went on to found Brouns & Co, a manufacturer and supplier of traditional linseed-oil-based paints, primers, and finishes. Brouns & Co now operates across the UK, Europe, and North America, with integrated manufacturing, research, and distribution. The company is widely recognised for its rigorous material research, transparent supply chains, and evidence-based resistance to greenwashing.
Michiel’s combined expertise in heritage glazing, paint systems, and building physics allows him to advise on whole-building conservation strategies rather than isolated interventions. His reference projects in the UK include work at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, York Minster, Merchant Adventurers’ Hall (York), Chatsworth House, Woburn Abbey, and numerous privately owned historic estates and vernacular buildings. In the United States, his work includes projects with Mount Vernon, the Newport Restoration Foundation, Clifton (Virginia), Poplar Forest, and other National Register–listed sites.
He is the author of Linseed Paint & Oil – A Practical Guide to Traditional Production and Application (2023), now regarded as a key technical reference within the conservation and natural-materials sector. Michiel is a frequent lecturer and CPD provider for architects, conservators, and surveyors, delivering accredited training for professional bodies in the UK, Europe, and the United States.
Today, Michiel leads trans-Atlantic operations through Brouns & Co and Brouns & Galloway, continuing to advocate for evidence-led conservation, material honesty, and the long-term stewardship of historic buildings.
