Border Oak house love

Whenever new photos come in there is a general buzz around the Border Oak office. We love seeing photos of houses, not just finished houses but ones being built, ones with builders in (no builders bums now though - health and safety saw an end to that) insides, outside - pretty much anything (although even I glaze over at shots of service ducts or foundation trenches).
So I thought I would share a few of our new pics here too. Many of these houses will feature on our new website and in our new magazine (both ready for the autumn) with a bit more background to each of the projects, so I thought I would just tease you with a small selection here........

I would love to know your thoughts and what type of house interests you most - I am missing a good set of maor house images, but this year we have built /or building about a dozen so hopefully I can commission more photos next year to fill the portfolio gaps.

The first image (above) is of a lovely little holiday cottage built in the woods - deceptively spacious inside thanks to vaulted ceilings and other clever tricks

This is part of a weatherboarded barn tucked behind an old orchard - with very funky ambience lightling that turns the whole house blue and pink - a 'first' for a Border Oak project I think!

Hannah and I travelled up to Cheshire see this next house a few weeks ago and help the photographer with a bit of styling/assisting - this amazing plot  used to have a bungalow on it which Border Oak secured planning to knock down and replace with this farmhouse. Impressive and jealous making......

Their kitchen was huge with sliding folding doors at one end creating three walls of glass - over looking a private and huge garden. Why are there no plots like round here (well, none that we can afford, or that are even for sale........)

Although the planners restricted the ridge height (but I guess you could argue they did allow a huge increase in ridge height compared to the original bungalow?) the vaulted ceilings inside give a delicious sense of volume and space.

Next up is a  gorgeous Pearmain Cottage variation - but made much larger with an increased width hallyway, rear extension and adjoining barn (with a self contained annex and large studio room).

It is hard to imagine a time when Border Oak didn't build 'Pearmain Cottage' houses - the first (which featured on Grand Designs) was builtt in 2001/2002. It was my first home and my first as Mrs A - which means I have been married for 10 years next week. 10 years?? How can that happen? But to think that all the other lovely people who have built Pearmain Cottages watched and loved our first home together is both humbling and touching. So a huge sentimental 'thank you' to all you Pearmainites across the UK- you know who you are!

and finally, another star of TV  - this beautiful house featured on 'My Flat Pack Home'. Viewers didn't get to see the completed house, but I can now reveal that the interior is actually stunning and the outside simply amazing. Another incredible plot that I will never find.........

And how sweet is the blue Gypsy caravan to the right of the house. I really want something like this or a shepherds hut or railway carriage. I will add it to my 'I really want' list (which is ridiculously long already)

I thought the hallway was especially architetcturally interesting - just the right balance of oak framing and natural textures without being too cliched or faux medieval.

And I really like their utility room, with the painted stable door, granite work top and clothes airer.

 I have an obession with utility rooms at the moment - my fantasy utility room in my fantasy home that I am fantasy building on a fantasy orchard is pretty fantastic I'll have you know. Maybe we will one day build it and maybe even go on Grand Designs again (if they would have us!) ............??

p.s. the Border Oak face book page is up and running - we would love you to 'like' us if you have time and want to stay in touch with our news.

I'm back now

We have been on holiday to glorious Tuscany, where there was not even the teeniest jot of oak framing anywhere. How odd.

But there was lots of wine, pasta and olive groves which more than made up for it.

I am now getting back into the swing of things and my list of to do's looks like this (not in any order should the people awaiting my action on a particular task worry about their numerical placement - I will get everything done one way or another..........)

1. Border Oak website (so nearly ready yet so far from finished)

2. Christmas cards (so far away yet why such a rush to get them done?)

3. Artisan chocolate supplier (just so delicious)

4. Photoshoots (so fun to do but such a lot of time away from the office)

5. New Border Oak mugs (so not at all crucial)

6. Cottage portfolio brochure (so hanging over me)

7. Garage brochure (so needed)

8. Country Cabin photoshoot (just such the the cutest little Border Oak house you ever did see) for a book called 'my cool cabin' which is a very cool book, full of cool cabins.

9. The Border Oak magazine - which was a newsletter and has morphed into a full colour 36 page production, all in house - thank heavens for Hannah!!

plus a load of other stuff that I can't remember.

Oh and have a look at these sneak peaks of a beautiful house about to feature in Ideal Home magazine (out in Sept I think). Gorgeous. And we also have a house in Country Homes and Interiors (do you remember my little oak framed cottage?) and a case study in Homebuilding & Renovating and two in Build It. I will let you know when they are out and you can rush to the shops - hey, why not add it to your list of things to do!

PS The long awaited 'To Build or Not to Build' starts on BBC 1 in Sept - with 4 of our houses featured. Very Excited.

PPS We now have a Border Oak Design and Construction Face book page  - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Border-Oak-Design-Construction/172379092828065

so please like us if you do indeed like us.

a barn tease

These lovely photos have just come in - a gorgeous oak 'lodge' in a garden.

I wanted to send the photos to the client first and so will show you the others next week after this little sneak peek. It's really very nice and interesting and I think you will love it. There are even chickens and an orchard..........and you know how I feel about orchards.

Hope you all had a great weekend - we went to two fabulous parties at two amazing houses (seriously amazing) and bizarrely met lots of Border Oak clients (and even sold a porch!) A bit tired now though so  better blogging next week.

 a lot of glass and a low profile...............

 I am a big fan of extra wide corridors and 'pointless' space (ie not designated to actually doing something) so this entrance corridor is right up my alley. And the huge windows bring in light and connect the external - imagine the passing seasons changing the light and atmosphere - lovely

and the main room is BIG - more to come next week

A handsome house and a funny story

Just a quickie because I am supposed to be changing the bed for the impending visit from Father in law (and also tweaking the new Border Oak website - getting more and more nervous that people won't like it though....eeek!)

I found these photos today, of a house that we are currently building, and was so tickled by how perfectly proportioned it was I thought I would share. Although it is quite large, it doesn't seem that imposing - more of a friendly face than a fame hungry celebrity I would say.

Its based on a design called Oakapple Court - which has been in our portfolio for about 25 years which I think puts it in the 'enduringly popular' category. And because the basic principles of design are spot on and the materials are the highest quality it will simply get better and better over the next 500 years. Which reminds me of a funny story.....

One of our designers met a planner, conservation officer and highways representative on a sensitive site we are hoping to buy. In the heart of a medieval village, with very delicate surroundings and a colourful history, we knew it would be contentious. When 'debating' the style of proposed homes the planner pointed to a little oak framed cottage next door  and bemoaned how wonderful the original oak frames are in comparison to 'new' houses. The conservation officer agreed and pointed to a range of barn conversions in the distance which he felt were intuitive, sensitive with a distinct sense of craftsmanship. They both felt these houses represented the type of design ethos we should aim for. Our designer tactfully pointed out that we converted the barns 20 years ago and built the perfectly pretty cottage a few years later. 

a house in a tree lined street

I guess that when we all imagine our 'dream' plot we can't help but think of wide bucolic views, orchards in blossom and a babbling brook (that doesn't pose a flood hazard). Dad often jokes that most people are looking for a site that is 'secluded but not isolated, rural but especially well serviced and with a thriving (but quiet) local pub with a buxom barmaid and an organic village stores next door. And with easy access to a motorway but free of road noise.' In other words IMPOSSIBLE. 

And as we spend a lot of our time looking for 'perfect' plots  it is refreshing to see that often the least expected/promising sites deliver the most rewarding end result.

And this fabulous Border Oak house in a typical suburban leafy road (with easy access to several motorways by the ways) , tucked within a range of mid century  homes illustrates exactly how clever self builders can be.  The owners took a good location, in a popular area and made it remarkable. 

Read all about this project in an upcoming issue of Build It Magazine - I will let you know when its in the local shop (or rather the organic general store next to the Michelin Starred pub in a village surrounded by orchards and populated by buxom barmaids)

Although it has a narrow frontage it has interest and depth - the jetties provide intrigue and shadow with the recessed porch drawing you in. The profile of the roof is varied and strong.

It can be very difficult to build on a site this tight at either side - the brick wall to the left is a fire proof wall. The garden is very long so the house design makes the most of this feature.

The kitchen provides a wonderful view over the garden.

Mixing neutral chalky colours with textures of granite, oak and ironmongery creates a cohesive but informal country effect.

With lots of glazing sun can stream through and connect the interior with the passing seasons

The large inglenook protrudes into the sitting room slightly because the narrowness of the plot didn't allow for an external stack - but in a room this large it makes no adverse impact.

Doors, landings and corridors have been aligned to create long views through the building - a clever space illusion design device.

You really can't beat a vaulted ceiling  - height, drama, space and character - definitely worth  the extra cost I think.

A shaped entrance into the beautiful ensuite

And finally a clever little room over the porch - an unexpected bonus.
I do hope you like it too - it certainly shows me what imagination and vision can achieve and how an 'ordinary' plot can be transformed.

I have just commissioned about a zillion new photos by the way (well that is obviously and exaggeration) and the new Border Oak website is V-E-R-Y close (but oh so far away) so I hope to bring you more and more posts to tie up with that. And we also have some top secret news that I will bring to you once GCHQ stop bugging my landline..............

awards season again

Each year seems to whizz by faster than the year before doesn't it? It can barely be 5 minutes since this Border Oak project claimed victory at the Homebuilding and Renovating/Daily Telegraph self build awards - but lo and behold the Awards are now open for 2011 entries .

The entry form can be download here www.homebuilding.co.uk/awards and this years prize is a luxury spa break (whoo hoo!) The standard of winners is always high, usually controversial but certainly interesting!

And if you are a Border Oak client and would like enter your home by all means drop me a line and I will be more than happy to advise or help.

merry.albright@borderoak.com

manor house monday

OK, I doubt very much that I will ever remember to post about a manor house every Monday (Farmhouse Friday,Single Storey Saturday anyone?) but Mr A was out and about last week and brought back some photos of a Border Oak house so big that he couldn't get the whole thing in one picture.  Seriously BIG.

And, although I can sometimes be a bit unsure of very BIG new houses (it's just a jealousy thing) this house has great potential because the the architectural/vernacular detail is about right. This is the kind of house that will get better and better with age - which can't be said about many of us (Richard Madeley maybe? Rob Lowe, probably).

this is only about a third of the one elevation - the section to the left is the 'service' wing if you like, the gable and double porch on the right are the 'front' of the main manor which works backwards. I think it is about 10,000 sq ft. Might be more with the attics and basements.

the blue sheeting protects the brick work from the tannin and is trimmed at the end of the build.

I like the slightly random brick infill patterns - a bit of informality on a house this size adds to the organic feel as an original manor would have been much altered, extended and remodelled over the passing centuries. So bizarre to think that not much separates the craftsmanship used to build this house and its direct Medieval counterpart.

The 'back' section of the house looks great too, with many classic 'Border Oak' elements. I think the brick work really helps break the mass of oak and the chimneys provide excellent 'punctuation'. The reason the house works is probably because proportionally it is strong. They haven't just stretched it and made it wider and taller to get the size they needed but have added incrementally and observed vernacular spans and pitches. Can't wait to see the end result.

P.S I know this is a Sunday, not a Monday, but I couldn't wait til the morning to post (well, I am out all day tomorrow)