Apple Down Farm

Set in just over 30 acres of land with far reaching views over beautiful Kentish countryside, Paul and Kate’s traditional-style house, completed with the finest-quality finishes both inside and out, would be, for many, a dream home. It therefore comes as some surprise when owner Paul says – in disappointed tones – “I don’t like new houses, so this wasn’t really what I was looking for.”

How then have he and wife Kate ended up with such a fantastic brand new house? "We had always lived in old properties—300 to 400 years old. I just think new houses tend to lack character. But we were searching for years for a typical old Kent/Sussex-style cottage. Finding something in the right location at the right price proved near impossible, though. A couple of times we came close, but we always ended up in a bidding war and unfortunately my pockets are not that deep," explains Paul. "Or we would find the right house, but there would be a big oast house looming over it."

"When we bought the plot, an old farmhouse with outbuildings stood on the site and the plan was to renovate and extend, but as we dug deeper we soon found that it just wasn’t viable to rescue them, so they had to be demolished.” The couple bought the secluded plot and existing buildings, complete with half an acre, in 2007 for £560,000, then purchased an additional 30 acres of adjoining land for £200,000.

Paul and Kate turned to Julian Bluck, one of Oakwrights’ partner architectural designers, to draw up plans for a traditional Kent-style house, designed not only to fit in with the local vernacular, but also to look as though it was a building that had evolved over the years. In order to achieve this look, the main section of the house was designed to replicate an old Kent farmhouse, with handmade clay roof tiles and facing tiles on the first floor, with lime render infill panels between the oak frame on the ground floor, complete with a jettied gable end.

Projecting out from this is a section designed to look like a later addition, with partial timber weatherboarding over brick, and dormer-style windows. In addition, a smaller single storey ‘extension’ has been included in the design, fully weatherboarded and painted in a different colour. To complete the illusion of a house which has been added to over many years, a number of different window styles have been used, varying from sliding sashes to pretty casements.

Julian worked closely with Paul, Kate and the local planning authority, and the plans were quickly approved with no changes – and not a neighbour in sight to object – despite the fact that the new house was 50 per cent larger than the farmhouse that had originally stood on the site. Oakwrights was commissioned to build the oak frame that makes up the main construction element of the house and is largely responsible for the characterful, old-fashioned look.

On entering through the oak frame porch, you are met by a striking double-height dining hall, with light pouring in from above, drawing out the detailing of the exposed oak frame and bouncing off the whitish tones of the limestone flooring. The ground floor also features a large open plan kitchen/diner, again with limestone floors and with painted bespoke hand-built units, plus a big range cooker to complete the farmhouse-style feeling. In the living room stands a brick-built open fireplace and there is a wealth of oak framework throughout, giving the house a sense of warmth and quality. A large utility room, snug and study have also been included in the ground floor layout.

On the first floor are four large bedrooms, one en suite, and a family bathroom, all of which lead off a central galleried landing area, whilst provision has been made for a fifth bedroom on the second floor, although as yet this has not been completed. Mysterious double doors set into a section of wall are the only suggestion of the plans that await. Throughout the remarkably quick seven-month build, Paul and Kate took a deliberately hands-off approach, leaving the project in the hands of a main contractor, and subcontractors they had worked with on previous projects.

They visited weekly to check on the progress of the build. The very highest-quality materials have been used throughout the house, with Paul and Kate taking the view that there is absolutely no point in building a home in such a breathtaking location then ruining it with plastic windows and inferior roof tiles. Paul was adamant that he didn’t want a “modern box” and the house most certainly has not disappointed him in this respect, with its interestingly shaped rooms, sloping ceilings and exposed oak beams.

Around three months prior to the completion of the house, Paul started to organise the landscaping aspect of the project, which now forms such a vital part of the finished house. “I would urge other selfbuilders to bear in mind the cost of landscaping when setting out a budget,” says Paul, who spent an additional £110,000 on the garden, patio, driveways and paths that now make up the stunning scheme. “It was the location that really sold this plot to us, so getting the landscaping right was a crucial part of the build.” One of the main features of the house is its extensive flagstone patio, leading out from the dining area of the kitchen and affording amazing views.

Living in this newly built oak frame home has many benefits. "We have underfloor heating throughout, powered by a ground-source heat pump, which is just a fantastic way to heat a house,” says Paul. “It is a really pleasant house to live in, too, and has the warmth and comfort that comes with modern insulation. I guess that we’d say this is as close to the real thing as we could get—it really is a good compromise between old and new,” he concludes.