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An oak frame house became the perfect choice for Moira and Tony Cain who bought a neglected, overgrown plot in Denbighshire which was once the walled garden to a Grade II listed church next door. They bought the land with outline planning permission for a red brick house in a similar design to the vicarage next door and the sheltered housing on the other side which they were keen to change. They felt a red brick house wouldn’t blend in with the old timber frame buildings in the town. An oak frame house seemed much more in keeping but they knew that being on a historical site, gaining planning permission may be difficult. The couple investigated building with oak frame and discovered what they thought might be an expensive way to build was actually within their budget.
They had a list of stipulations to meet in their planning application. Since the church is a building of historical significance, they needed an archaeologist on site every time they dug into the ground to make sure they didn’t uncover anything historically significant.
The couple turned to Welsh Oak Frame to design and build their home. They knew they wanted four bedrooms and open plan living but more importantly they wanted something that would blend in with its surroundings to stand a chance of gaining planning permission.
The design features a double height entrance hall with an oak staircase. A cloakroom and cupboard are concealed beneath the stairs, and downstairs is largely open-plan and zoned with a mix of slate flooring and wood. Upstairs, bedrooms have vaulted ceilings and there’s oak in the bathrooms too. Their oak frame design proved to be a resounding success with the local planning authority because of its sympathetic appearance on the historical site.
‘Living here is like being on holiday all the time, it’s such a good feeling,’ Moira says. ‘Our home is a beautiful design, the oak is gorgeous, and the quality of the build is perfect. Every time we come home, we can’t believe we live here.’
