Design Buy Build Issue 46 2020 | Page 27

A call from the couple’s Planning Officer explained how they were happy with the overall design of the house, but the concrete chimney they had included in their original designs had been rejected. The Boyds decided to sadly discard the idea of a chimney, knowing that fighting the decision could have caused significant delays, with no real guarantee of success. "Gareth designed the home himself, saving on both time and architectural fees." It wasn’t long after then when planning was fully approved, having taken only two months from submission to approval – a very quick process for an application on a greenfield site in their area, and the build could commence. “We wanted a home where the inside was connected to the outside. That’s why we opted to use plenty of timber to create a Scandinavian feel, while the open plan spaces and large windows would allow us to look right over the landscape and fill each room with natural light.” The family finally moved into their new home in July 2019, with only the finishing touches to the interiors and landscaping left to complete. The end result is a quaint, rustic home filled with natural materials and home comforts. Lighting is one of the stand-out features in Gareth and Lindsey’s home. The open plan, Scandinavian style living space is flooded with natural daylight from the windows and the light bounces off of the timber flooring and white walls to create a bright and fresh feeling throughout the home. DOORS, WINDOWS & FITTINGS 27