Glorious new-build is homage to site’s history as bus depot
SOME sites in a popular street have a very surprising history and can rightly claim to be not your usual plot of land or property.
Strolling down one of the main streets in one of Wales’s most loved and historic towns a few years ago you might have stopped and stared at a building that looked somewhat out of place.
At the end of a row of substantial pretty period properties was a building that looked like a warehouse or garage, with a huge blue concertina door, and was arguably a bit of a visual blot on this attractive street’s landscape.
But don’t feel too affronted at the front of this building because it was, in its past and in its heyday, an important part of everyday life in the riverside town of Laugharne, and its important function was felt further afield too.
The commercial building was actually the bus depot for well-known local and regional bus company Pioneer Coaches, whose distinctive light blue and white buses were regularly seen travelling around the county and beyond.
The current owner of the stunning house says: “My family has a really strong connection to Laugharne. It was the place where my great-great-grandfather established Pioneer Coaches, which for decades was the primary transport company for the whole of West Wales.
“The plot on which Pioneer House now stands was previously home to the old double-decker bus garage, but after it fell into a state of disrepair my wife and I decided to develop the site and transform it into this stunning family home.”
When the time came for the bus depot to take a one-way trip into history and be replaced by a new building it was a crucial time for the street as what would replace it and what visual aesthetic would it bring to the street?
No-one needed to have worried about what would replace the bus depot because what the owners have created in its place is a total triumph: a beautiful three-storey, blue-painted new-build that looks like it’s been there for years and blends beautifully into the complete street scene.
Called Pioneer House, the new-build pays homage to the land’s past history as the bus depot. Maybe the buses even informed the colour choice of the outside – a pretty blue that makes a nod to the buses who used to live at the site – or maybe it’s just a happy coincidence.
The building of Pioneer House has been a labour of love for the owners, creating a six-bed house that looks period on the outside and full of character but with modern layout and additions on the inside.
The owner says: “Externally it’s been designed to fit beautifully with the period properties that pepper the town. However, internally it’s very much a modern home for modern living.
“We’ve incorporated the open-plan kitchen, dining and living space that every family wants these days but we’ve also added a large separate living room and a study/snug/reading room.”
The stunning Georgian-style facade is pleasingly symmetrical but with added interest, the dominant feature arguably being a large, central arched window and mini version above it tucked into the apex of the roofline.
The pretty pink front door, nestled within a column-style porchway, easily tempts you to open it and explore inside. The central hall leads into the astounding kitchen-diner at the rear of the house, but there are two fabulous rooms either side of the hall, at the front of the property, to explore first.
To the left is a living room that has a feature log burner in the corner ensuring this is one of the cosiest and quietest of the spaces in the home.
Opposite is a snug and home office space that is light and bright thanks to the large sash window, although this also provides a portal to the street outside and temptation to stop work and watch the world go by.
It’s a most pleasant of spaces to encourage your best work as the decor contributes to the ambience of the room and is a good example of the style the owners have established within their home.
The interior design throughout the house is elegant and tasteful and a mix of textures and colours that are predominantly informed by a palette of heritage colours from soft pale tones to strong and tasty accent shades.
Then to arguably the main event in this beautiful abode: the kitchen, diner and lounge at the rear which is without doubt the heart of the home.
As this is a new-build house the design has been thought out to create arguably the most perfect space to seamlessly
incorporate all three functions within their dedicated zones as well as an effortless flow into the spacious rear garden via a wall of bifold doors.
The stunning sage green kitchen occupies one side of the space, with character added through the construction of a chimney breast where the triple range cooker sits.
This lounge zone can balance the strong statement made by the purple cooker opposite with an impressive feature of its own, a sizeable stone fireplace housing a sizeable log burner.
The exposed wood ceiling beam is an extra feature that didn’t need to eat up some of the build budget but its existence not only adds to the charm of the room but illustrates the owners’ attention to detail when designing Pioneer House to ensure that it had character as well as comfort.
This room is completed to perfection with a large dining area that looks out over the landscaped garden that not only offers a country view but also a terrace plus a patio area with a handy log cabin that is the perfect garden bar to create an outdoor party zone.
The current owner says: “The house sits on an enormous plot so we also benefit from a lovely big private garden that gently slopes down to the banks of the River Corran.
“We’ve had the whole space professionally landscaped and it now incorporates areas for sitting, relaxing and entertaining and we have a huge lawn so it’s ideal for children and indeed pets.
“The attractive log cabin can be used as anything from an outside entertaining space to a home office so it’s yet another lovely feature of the property.”
Up to the first floor and there’s more gorgeous interiors and special spaces to find. The master suite spans the whole width of the rear of the house and includes a stunning statement copper bath in the bedroom, a shower room en suite, and a dressing room with built-in wardrobes.
The stripped wood floor, sash windows, and a mix of timeless choices and luxury for furniture make this master bedroom a wonderful and inviting suite of rooms most people would not want to leave until they really had to.
There are two further bedrooms on this floor, both at the front of the house, both with a luxury en suite, and both with similar elegant decor that make this house stand out from so many other houses for sale in Carmarthenshire.
Up to the top floor and there are three more en suite bedrooms to lust after.
Designed to include six en suite bedrooms, it’s no wonder the current owners also use Pioneer House as an adults-only four-room boutique B&B as well as their home as it’s been designed to be a perfect blend of both.
But if sharing with guests you don’t know, even if they are paying, is not for you there’s no shame in wanting this gorgeous house all to yourself to be your totally private dream home.
For guests it’s a most welcome and stylish base to explore the delights of the county’s coast and countryside, plus hopping over the border to Pembrokeshire, in any season.
The present owner says: “We’ve also added underfloor heating both upstairs and down, which is powered by a ground source heat pump, and there are two log burners so during the winter months it’s wonderfully cosy and warm.
“We can honestly say that we put our hearts and souls into the project.
“It’s a really beautiful house in every single way and so it’s going to be a real wrench to leave.”
Pioneer House might be your final stop for your new stunning home. It is for sale for offers in excess of £850,000 with Fine & Country, Pembrokeshire. Call them on 01834 818076 to find out more.