A Woodhouse range and alpine-inspired oak frame home in Lincolnshire

When a developer friend purchased land and achieved planning for four houses, Mark and Sarah popped in to have a look, just out of interest.

“We climbed up the scaffolding of one of the houses already being built, and the views were just amazing,” explains Mark. “With the site in demand and another couple interested and about to pay a deposit that day, we put down a payment immediately!”

Mark has quite a lot of experience with renovating properties, mostly listed buildings, including converting a pack horse station and an 8000sq ft manor house in Derbyshire, but for Sarah, this would be her first self-build project.

“We purchased our plot in June 2018, and the planning process took quite a while,” says Mark. “We sold our house and managed to rent it back off the new owner until we found a bungalow to rent just down the road, which enabled us to be on-site every day. I insisted on being there to check that everything delivered was correct and that items were fitted in the right place. If you are on-site, you are there to answer any queries.”

Their oak frame arrived in June 2019, and they had moved in by Christmas. Desperate to move out of their rented bungalow, Mark and Sarah moved in a couple of days before Christmas 2019, and the first items through the door was their Christmas tree and a bottle of bubbly! Although they had unpacked a little, their new friendly neighbours and fellow oak frame homeowners hosted them for Christmas dinner.

The interior layout originally featured a five-bedroom home, which Mark and Sarah adapted to accommodate three-bedroom suites, allowing for dressing rooms and storage within each.

As you enter their home from beneath the mono-pitch porch and through the front door, you are welcomed into a large, open-plan space housing a kitchen/dining/living area.

The kitchen incorporates a stunning 6m-long island with bar-style seating at one end. Pocked drawers and cupboards have been installed under the island and along the wall to hide all the appliances and even the utility room. “They hide everything and are vital for the clean, sleek luxury kitchen,” says Sarah. “The cupboards and drawers have a concrete-effect finish and are from German manufacturer Leicht which contrasts amazingly well with the oak.”

Not only is the interior stunning on the inside – the master bedroom also has more to offer! An alpine-inspired balcony under the eaves that are sheltered from the weather and glazed panels allow for a continuous view of the golf course, which is “the perfect spot for an afternoon cup of tea,” smiles Sarah.

The main guest room benefits from a full-height window that Sarah’s mum highlighted during the architectural design stage. It also features arch collar braces, creating a large, open vaulted ceiling.

The third-bedroom suite is located above the garage. Sarah uses it as her dressing room and hobby room “with oodles of wardrobes,” maintaining an ultra-tidy master bedroom on the other side of the house!

The marble in the main bathroom required a reinforced floor to take the weight and was so heavy that the installers employed someone who competes in the World’s Strongest Man to manoeuvre it into place!