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