2019-06-01 25 Beautiful Homes

modern detached | 25bh

TheproperTy

Detachednew-build

L o c aT i o nNewcastle

roomsHall,sittingroom,

kitchen-diner/familyroom,

sixbedrooms(threeensuite),

dressingroom,bathroom

purchased 2016

previousproperTy

‘Welivedina convertedfarm

before moving abroad,’ says Avril.

home truths

new buiLd

W

henAvrilandPaul

Fairleydecidedto

movebacktothe

UKaftersixyears

livinginAustralia,findingtheright

propertyprovedtricky.‘Eventually

Paulfounda smalldeveloperwho

wasbuildingtwopropertiesonthe

outskirtsofNewcastleandhepaid

a visitwhileonbusinessintheUK,’

saysAvril.‘Luckilyit wasatanearly

stage,soweworkedwiththebuilder

tomakesomebespokechanges.’

AlthoughPaulwasabletocheck

onprogressduringhisbusinesstrips,

AvrilwasstillinAustraliawiththeir

daughters,Megan,now19,andAnna,

15,sosheonlysawthepropertyvia

videocalls.‘ItwasdifficultasI was

makingdecisionsonlayoutwithout

havingbeeninthehouse,’shesays.

Theadaptationsincludedwidening

theopeningstothekitchenandpantry

beforeaddingslidingbarndoors,fitting

ceilingbeamsandhavingwoodburners

installedinthefamilyroomandsitting

room.A bespokeoak-framedporchand

logstorewasalsoaddedatthefront.‘I

don’tnormallygofornew-builds,’says

Avril.‘Sothismadeit looka bitmore

traditionalandinjectedsomecharacter.’

Afterthefamilymovedinand

unloadedtheshippingcontainersfull

of furniture, the shutters were fitted

kitchen-diner

Aneclecticmixofdiningchairsgives

therooma lived-inlook,whilea pairof

carverarmchairsaddsa littlegrandeur.

TimothyOultonMimidiningchairs,from

£260each;Versaillepedestal-legdining

table, £1,175, both Barker and Stonehouse

SittinGrOOM

Byinstallinga newlogburnerand

ceilingbeams,thecouplewereabletogive

a periodtouchtotheirnew-buildhome.

Saltfirewoodburningstove,£495,StoveFitter’s,

is similar.DurestaVilleneuvemedium

sofainBergmanJuniper,£4,101,

Darlings of Chelsea, is comparable

25bhJuNE 2019| 89