readers’ homes

After failing to find a suitable property to divide up, the Horsteadshit upon the idea of self building their way to a home for three generations of the family

WORDS & PHOTOS KATY DONALDSON

which are separated to cleverly divide the main living hub from the bedrooms

Following the sad passing of her father, Hugh, in April 2019, Lowri Horstead was keen for her mother, Non, to come and live full time with her family – including husband Andy, their two children Bella and Martha, and Mabel the Cavapoo. Their existing home was, however, not suitable – with only one bathroom and no separate living area for Non. After many family discussions, they decided to join forces and find a larger place that could provide three generations of the family with a sociable home as well as private spaces.

Fulfilling the brief

The family agreed that they should all share one house rather than Non living in a separate annexe. So, they set about finding a single dwelling to meet all their needs. It would need a generous main room to accommodate the whole family, as well as a dedicated sitting room, bedroom and bathroom suite for Non, which would allow her privacy and independence.

As an interior designer specialising in spatial planning, Lowri was well placed to understand how to reconfigure a property to maximise its full potential. However, while the houses they viewed were often large enough in terms of surface area, they required major layout changes that would be prohibitively expensive. Frustrated by their lack of success, they stumbled on the idea of self build when Lowri found a newly listed bungalow. After going to see it they realised that if they knocked it down and started again, they could achieve exactly what they wanted.

Sleek glazing reaches up into the apex of the two elevations

From the front, the building is subtle and minimal, leaving the magic to be revealed on entering the property