photos of a lovely Welsh Barn

I might surprise you to know that an awful lot of Border Oak staff have actually self built and live in Border Oak houses/extensions. From our Director (who still lives in the first Border Oak house ever built) to the designers, carpenters, plasterers, project managers, specifiers, builders and even me (did you know I had built a Border Oak cottage? You may have read about it somewhere.........) 

We are all pretty passionate about what we do and genuinely love our product and so I guess  in many ways it is natural that we want to live in a Border Oak home as well as help others to create their perfect home. But I think it is quite unusual to have such a ringing endorsement from the staff - just shows that we believe in what we do and sell........

Anyway the gorgeous photos today are of a house recently built by our QS. He purchased a plot on the Shropshire/Welsh borders, in a remote location with an existing planning approval (that couldn't be changed) and this is what he and his family achieved. Our QS is pretty handy by all accounts and did a lot of the work himself despite falling very ill at work one day and enduring a lengthy recuperation spell. Thankfully he is fighting fit now and enjoying his fabulous new home with his family and back in the office to face the usual banter and safe in the knowledge that he escaped any attempts at Mouth to Mouth resuscitation from his colleagues. 

The design was produced by the previous owner of the plot and was conceived to echo the simple profile of a rural Welsh barn. The front aspect has no dormer windows whilst the rear has two, with large French doors to frame the spectacular views. The roof is Welsh slate and the gable ends are brick - similar to our Halfpenny Cottage concept. The panels are lime rendered.

And the location and views are pretty much unbeatable don't you think? Rolling hills, lined with native hedge rows and a smattering of trees and sheep. traditional and untouched.  Not another house to be seen.
Incredible.

Internally, I especially like the muted colours which pick up on the tones of the landscape. The heritage inspired  fawns, sages, and murky pigments really work with the honey coloured beams too.

Rather than divide the rooms with doors there is an open feel and flow between the three large main rooms.

I really hope you enjoy todays selection of images - photos from the manor house Open Day at the weekend will be coming up later.
The Easter Hols are nearly over so its back to work for me with lots of new ideas, projects and images coming up.
I wanted to say thank you to you all for reading my blog by the way - some days I have more than 500 hits which is amazing and very humbling. It really does inspire me to try and find more interesting stories and beautiful photos - so thank you, thank you, thank you.