LINCOLNSHIRE OAK-FRAME HOUSE

A bigger garden, greater seclusion and a light-filled home were all-important to Helen and Victor Day when they built their oak-frame house in Lincolnshire

Building their dream timber home from scratch gave the owners space and privacy

❝ BLUE IS MY FAVOURITE COLOUR, SO I USED DIFFERENT BLUES AND GREYS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE. THEN I PICKED SHADES❞ SOFT FURNISHINGS IN THE SAME

Ayearning for more outside space and privacy prompted Helen and Victor Day to look for a plot on which to build the house of their dreams. ‘We were living in a small village completely surrounded by other houses,’ says Helen.

They didn’t want to move from the neighbourhood where they both grew up, so when Victor came across the perfect plot, they decided there and then this was where they would build their home. The plot was large enough to build a substantial house for themselves and Helen’s parents, while retaining a three-quarter-acre garden. It was also the ideal location to realise Victor’s dream of building an oak-frame house. ‘Victor is a builder by profession,’ she says, ‘but this was his first oak building. An oak-frame house has so much character and felt right for the site and for the country setting.’

The couple worked in partnership with specialists Border Oak, using the Pearmain Cottage as a template for their own build, increasing the size of the utility room (‘for the dog’) and of the house in general.

Border Oak drew up the plans, put up the frame and SIP (insulated) panels, then Victor’s team took over. Building an oak-frame house was a novel experience. ‘When we moved in, the noise of the timber settling was like a haunted house, as though the wood was alive,’ says Helen.

The result is three buildings in one: the main house where Helen and Victor live; Victor’s office, flanked by >

Garden Helen designed the garden herself. The pergola has grasses beneath and climbing roses, clematis and honeysuckle above, all planted to flower at different times

Kitchen Helen added drama by using a rich blue for the island. Victor’s company fitted the kitchen; find similar units at Harvey Jones. For similar island paint shade, try Blue Lobster by Valspar. Pendant lights, Jim Lawrence

Living room Helen has mixed and matched complementary patterns in blue to tie them together. Sofa, find similar at DFS. John Lewis & Partners has a similar coffee table. Cupboard in corner, Time Out. Large candlestick, Next