Pearmain Cottage

It's hard to believe that we weren't sure if the Pearmain Cottage concept would be popular.

It all started in 2001 when Ben and I were struggling get get planning approval for a Border Oak cottage on our plot in rural Herefordshire - the planners didn't want us to used exposed oak externally as we were next to a listed oak frame and they thought it would be 'visually confusing'. So my Dad pulled out one of the sketches that he had filed away under 'concept'. 

It was worth a try..........and yep the planners loved it, Grand Designs filmed it, magazines featured it (I don't know if I will ever live down the Elizabethan costume shoot, oh lord, the neck ruffle.......) and by some miracle people liked it and bought them.

Here is one of the recent additions to the Pearmain family - what a beautiful , happy ending to a planning conundrum.....