Reverse Level Living
Carpenter Oak, the timber framed building specialists based in East Cornworthy, helped build this stunning green oak home in the Blackdown Hills
1 March 2024
It took the owners of this beautiful oak framed house two years to find the right plot on which to build their home. Apart from wanting to make the best of the views, they didn’t know exactly what they wanted to build.
They developed and adjusted their ideas during the planning and pre-application processes – essential when getting approval for a new build in an AONB. The result is this four bedroom reverse-level oak frame home. With the bedrooms downstairs and living area and balconies upstairs, they have made full use of the beautiful views.
Carpenter Oak worked closely with the owners to design their bespoke oak frame. It was a tricky build on such a steep site and the groundworks included cutting into the hillside with a lot of thought given to site access for lorries and cranes.
Once the team had installed the two-storey frame for the main part of the house, Paul Slemmings, the Senior Frame Designer, then carried out another site survey for the balconies. Its steepness meant the balcony posts would land at different heights; this required complicated and careful planning, designing and installation.
This home has four ground-floor bedrooms – thoughtfully set out to maximise the space and the oak on show. This floor also has a formal front door with an oak porch and an L-shaped staircase leading to the first floor.
The vaulted space on the first floor creates an open-plan living area, benefiting from the panorama of the Blackdown Hills. The balcony is easily accessed and designed to be part of the living area.
Using traditional materials, such as locally sourced flint on some of the ground-floor external walls and cedar cladding, the owners also installed eco-friendly features including a heat pump, solar panels and insulation.
PHOTOS: RICHARD DOWNER
