As the episodes slide by with soothing familiarity, the laptop comes out and as the mind inevitably drifts to the project, the fingers start exploring Google. I've been looking more at Scandinavian style kit houses lately and keep coming across the same sites. The houses are nice - some are beautiful, some look like ski chalets and you know, they seem so practical with the costs all neatly defined up front, and everything neatly designed with precision expected of that region. But there is still a part of me that still wants to have something bespoke, more personal and more local.
So moving away from what is practical and sensible, and ready made - i tried to think from the point of view of what do i really want to have? What features would make it perfect? And one of the things on the list is to have access to a covered outside space and a raised outside space, to make the most of the view - like a balcony, a terrace - I even have a slight hankering to be able to get out and sit on the roof. So I searched for images in "timber frame house balcony" to just try and help me form a picture. Almost straight away i found an image that just blew me away - Seagull House in South Devon - about a mile away from where i used to live on the River Dart - I can't believe i never saw it!
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| Gorgeous Seagull House |
Look at it! I love this galleried balcony that wraps itself around the building - part southern Gothic mansion, part medieval jetty, part Victorian boat house. The Wisteria enveloping the river side face gives it an extra kick of whimsy that just makes me swoon - you expect a red headed Weasley to emerge with a broomstick from one of those sets of doors.
The house stands above the river - and you can see how balconied gable end definitely takes something from the real boat house that sits at water level (below).
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| Seagull House seen from the River Dart |
Might be a hangover from watching Last Kingdom earlier, but the interior is definitely remeniscent of a medieval great hall or guildhall. The huge wooden ribs are also very boat-like we recently paid a visit to the astonishing Cutty Sark in Greenwich, and the inside of Seagull House definitely has the same feel - a vast upturned hull, linking neatly back to the boating association. I think its a bit too much for me, too much wood, too darkly over whelming to be comfortable - and I don't quite understand the layout (clearly I need a tour) but there is no denying that it is an remakable piece of craftsmanship. That's quite lucky really - as I don't think i could quite stretch to the recent £2.95M that it was being marketed for!
Oooh got distracted - one of my favourite episodes ever came on - Deni and Doug rebuilding a stunning ruined French Manor House in Creuse - mainly armed with an obstinate refusal to be told something is impossible and books ***LOVE***
Looking a bit more into Seagull House it is clear that I am far from the first to be bowled over by it - and apparently it has even been on my beloved Grand Designs (I may have to watch them all to find out which one). It was created by architect Roderick James, and been used as the template of many more oak framed houses acros the country. James is very much still working and was one of the founders of Carpenter Oak Ltd who are creating some beautiful projects and who I very much want to speak to about my future project. They created the Cruciform House in Lambourn waaaaay back in 2001 - its not actually one of my favourites, too much open space, but you can't fault the workmanship or skill. Carpenter Oak have show houses available to visit, so might just have to take a look next time I'm down in Devon. It looks like they offer a range of services from initial consultations though to full turnkey - who knows - this could be the beginning of something beautiful...
