The Househunter: Room by Room

Something quite different for you this week as we’re off to Devon to have a look at this four bedroom house near Crediton, which is on the market with Staggs for £775,000.

It began life as a barn, no surprises there, although the owners have created something very unbarn-like by adding a zinc roof and full height sliding aluminium doors the length of the property. This is extreme inside out living. I love the way you can see straight through the house in places – it helps it vanish into the landscape.

I’m guessing this might be quite Marmite but there is something about it I rather love although as the house is so open I think I would like more tall trees around it so you could blend into the landscape but feel a little private at the same time.

There are four bedrooms, one of which is behind the kitchen above, where there is also a utility room, and the others are all along the front as you can see. On the far end there is a bedroom with an open plan bathroom – and if you live in a house like this where the walls basically all vanish to connect you with the garden  this is not the time to be complaining about having a bath in the bedroom.

The next three bedrooms are smaller as a corridor runs along the back of the house to give them all separate access. You then walk through an office/snug to reach this incredible open L-shaped kitchen diner.

I confess to being much more intrigued by this than I thought I would be. Although that might be the time of year. It’s hard to imagine what it would be like in November although I like nothing more than sitting in the warm and dry watching the clouds and the weather pass by so I might like it then as well.

It’s a real lesson in zoning open plan spaces. Firstly rugs – lots. Then I would create more of a cosy seating area that faces out or at least put another sofa opposite that one above, which has no need to be hugging the wall like it is. There’s no shortage of space here so you can afford to put furniture in the middle. I know this is something that goes against every instinct for many but try it. In a large space it will look better.

What is easy to visualise is sitting with all the doors pulled back in the summer and staring over the rolling hill views. What do you think? Tweak the decor a little and add some plants to the front deck, maybe string some hammocks between the wooden posts that you can lie in when the doors are pulled back….

Anyone for Devon?