Finding the perfect plot
Caroline was on a mission to find the perfect home for herself; or at least one a lady with a keen eye for interior design could make perfect. Despite viewing a number of available properties in various states of repair, the market seemed resolutely against her. Too big, too small, too expensive, too isolated, too… and so that particular door closed in on itself.
Then an ad promoting plots of land for sale in Herefordshire popped up on her Facebook feed. Caroline loved the idea of a blank canvas to build on so she could create the type of home she’d dreamt about.
A perfect fit for an independent woman
Caroline’s custom build purchase came with planning permission and utilities already in place. That the plans were for an attractive, single storey oak frame house was another tick on her wish-list. All of which gave her the confidence to project manage the build herself.
Small is beautiful
The real beauty of Caroline’s home is that it incorporates many of the features associated with bigger houses. Its oak posted porch gives it a grand entrance while the porch’s slate roof emerges like that of a larger property’s dormer window. Inside, vaulted ceilings mean the supporting oak A-frames are a prominent feature.
Key design features
The kitchen’s island provides oodles of multi-purpose storage. With a large Velux above, and supplementary low-hanging chandelier, the island’s substantial top also offers a lovely light place for working, reading as well as enjoying informal meals.
In the living space beyond the island, natural light is supplemented by those that hang down from a scrubbed branch Caroline picked up from a nearby lane. This unusual feature reflects her creative design credentials well. Caroline’s magpie mind means she’ll collect and curate appropriate accessories from wherever she finds them.
Thanks to our WrightWall and WrightRoof encapsulation system, the slim wood-burner sitting between the living area and sun room is seldom used. The sun room is an addition to the original design. It provides more space, more light (thanks to its face glazing) and a lot more style.
Each of the two double bedrooms are lightly coloured to give the oak posts and beams prominence. Both rooms feature en-suites: the master’s glazed double doors offer inviting views across the back garden.
“Wonderful” living on an award-winning custom build site
“Building your own home is no doubt a challenge. But living in a home you have designed for your own lifestyle, with the most up to date features, means the living environment on a day-to-day basis is wonderful.” Caroline says.
Our Webbs Meadow site won the Build It 2022 award for best custom build site. Caroline’s home has also been shortlisted for the same title’s ‘best self-build under £300,000’ in this year’s ceremony.
There’s lots more to read about custom build homes on our website, including details of the plots available as phase two of Webbs Meadow.
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