An ultra contemporary oak frame home in rural Herefordshire
Kay and Mike are a rare kind of hands-on self builders who are fearless in following their vision. Over three years they rolled their sleeves up to craft every detail of their extraordinary ultra-contemporary upside-down oak frame home. Designed to chase the sun and frame the Black Mountains, their calm and peaceful light-filled vaulted retreat is a true labour of love.
Project Details
- Herefordshire
- 2025
- Bespoke
- Contemporary
- 3
Finding the perfect plot
Kay and Mike’s initial nationwide search was narrowed down to two counties - Devon and Herefordshire. Both areas offered sites within budget, however Herefordshire won them over, promising both rural beauty and year-round tranquillity. “We felt Herefordshire would be much quieter with less tourists in the summer” explains Kay.
Although they had come across various oak frame developments, it was on a visit to Oakwrights’ award-winning Webb’s Meadow custom build site where serendipity struck. The couple bumped into the landowner who’d recently purchased a nearby farm in Almeley. The site wasn’t yet on the market, but Kay and Mike were immediately drawn to its potential.
Beyond old barns and an overgrown hedge lay a sweeping panorama of the Black Mountains. “We scaled ladders and took photos of what the view could be like,” says Kay. “That’s when we imagined an upside-down home with the living room upstairs.”
The planning permission process
The planning process for Kay and Mike was unexpectedly smooth. “It was extraordinary. We thought they would challenge the design,” shares Kay. Their boundary-pushing dream contemporary home featured bold design ideas, including an impressive oak double height 5.5 metre high superstructure, a 20 metre long steel covered walkway, and an open plan first floor living space complete with a stunning roof terrace.
Thankfully their design was embraced and planning was accepted. The year spent securing the plot and planning permission became invaluable time for Kay and Mike to focus on refining the details of the interior and exterior specification, so that once construction began the project would run as smoothly as possible.
Choosing to build with oak and working with our team
With the plot secured and having discovered Oakwrights during online research, Kay and Mike wasted no time in sharing their strong vision with our team. “We actually came to Oakwrights with our own PowerPoint presentation… Not many clients do that!” smiles Kay. Their brief? “To create one of the most contemporary Oakwrights homes ever whilst making it sit comfortably in the rural landscape. We love the majesty of the oak.”
Our Architectural team’s collaborative approach meant that two of our youngest Architects were assigned to Kay and Mike’s project. “They didn’t have any preconceived ideas of how the house should look which gave them a freedom to design this home,” says Kay. “We kept in touch during the build, giving feedback and asking questions. Jack worked with Craig under the experienced eye of Helen Needham,” explains Kay.”
Key external design features
Externally, polar white render, local stone slips, oak framed face glazing and steel have been combined to create a luxurious contemporary aesthetic. A steel frame was used to create their front porch and front section of the house and a large steel beam supports a spectacular terrace and covered walkway at the rear of the property. “We looked for something that was clean, crisp and low maintenance,” says Kay.
The majority of the garden landscaping is close to the house, allowing the remaining grounds to bleed into the natural landscape. The garden also features a large double car port built entirely by Mike, a lockable garden shed and a garden cabin with a firepit and barbecue area.
Internal design features
Kay and Mike’s 3-bedroom home is flooded with natural light thanks to their instinctive decision to create an upside-down layout with an abundance of glazing. “We don’t need to put light on, even on the gloomiest of days!” beams Kay.
The star of the show is their incredible vaulted upstairs living spaces, boasting vast oak frame glazed windows and oak beams sand-blasted to a soft, crisp finish. “We love the concept of almost having trees in your home,” says Kay.
A carefully engineered floor structure supports a full German designed Leicht kitchen upstairs, including a substantial granite island and a hidden pantry. Thoughtful planners Kay and Mike even included space for a lift shaft in the snug, “just in case we wanted to install one in our latter years,” futureproofing to ensure their home can evolve with them.
Gaining project management experience from the ground up
Though neither had built anything before - “Mike hadn’t even used a cement mixer, so we bought one for £100 which lasted the entire build,” laughs Kay - the couple chose to self-manage the entire project. The first job on site was to deconstruct existing old farm buildings - a task Kay and Mike took to with gusto, learning a lot along the way. Materials were salvaged to build a secure tool store and site cabin.
Once the oak frame arrived, the project accelerated quickly. Our team built the frame in just 14 days, finishing just before Christmas. Whilst professionals were brought in to deliver key stages, Kay and Mike completed the block and beam flooring, damp course, floor insulation and stone slipwork themselves. As a chartered electrical engineer, Mike focused on underfloor heating, MVHR installation and electrical design. As business manager, Kay focused on project management, budgeting, sourcing and hands-on decorating.
An eco high performance home
Kay and Mike’s home delivers exceptional thermal performance with our WrightWall and WrightRoof premium insulated panel system wrapped seamlessly around the oak frame. Their home achieves Passivhaus levels of airtightness, made possible with our innovative Aerobarrier technology. As early adopters of this system, Kay and Mike welcomed industry experts and journalists and industry experts. Heating is provided by an air source heat pump and a high-end MVHR with advanced dust filtration keeps the air as clean as possible.
A new chapter
Now with the build complete, Kay and Mike are preparing for their new adventure - a move to Portugal. Their beautifully crafted home is now for sale.
“We absolutely love living here,” says Kay. “We took risks and created something we truly love.”
Mike smiles. “We learned that with passion, teamwork and Oakwrights behind you, you can build something remarkable. Even if you’ve never built a thing before.”
