Stunning Oak Frame Home in Dorset with Coastal Views

Planning & Designing the New Oak Frame Home

According to Nick, who took on the role of lead designer, one of the main challenges was the narrow, steep access to the site. “It’s a sloping plot, so our starting point was investigating the possible engineering solutions for that gradient,” he says.

“An upside-down house offered a sensible approach, so we decided to dig in major retaining walls to hold back the hill and trees, plus the terraced garden above.” Positioning the open-plan kitchen-dining-living area on the top floor would make the most of the views, too. This strategy fitted comfortably with Chris and Mary’s goal to place the major living spaces on one level, with a bedroom and ensuite on the other side.

Designed in a simple glass grid style, the balcony features stainless steel brackets to support the oak posts. The fixings have been left exposed to add extra depth to the overall design

“We’re not getting any younger, and we wanted to be able to go back and forth to our bedroom as the years go by, before going up and downstairs becomes too difficult for us to navigate,” says Chris. “The floorplan Nick created allows us to live upstairs completely, should we wish to, with the rest of the bedrooms and family bathroom located downstairs.”

There was only one slight hitch – the existing planning permission was for a single-storey house, so when Nick submitted the scheme to the local council in early 2019 it faced significant opposition. The couple ended up compromising by removing the second floor from their detached garage, reducing the structure to a single storey.

Chris’s quartzite island countertop is the kitchen’s showstopping design feature. The rest of the worksurfaces are covered in composite quartz, and they work harmoniously together

“We also lowered the pitch of the main roof of the house, but not dramatically,” says Nick, who worked closely with the case officer. Though it took several months to obtain consent, Chris and Mary remained flexible in their approach to the design throughout. “In any negotiation, it’s important to have your starting point as well as something to fall back on from there,” says Chris. “The willingness to compromise with your planning officer is essential.”

Breaking Ground

With planning approved in June 2019, the Noons waited for the structural engineer to make his contributions to the detailed design before going out to tender. Having project managed several extension schemes before, Chris and Mary were confident about overseeing the build themselves.

Westwind Oak were appointed to supply and install the oak frame and SIPs (structural insulated panels) package, so it was a case of tracking down a builder who could put in the groundworks and wrap up the shell once the skeleton was erected. “We asked around local builders and got three quotes – we ended up going for the middle one,” says Chris.

However, progress hit another snag in March 2020 when the first lockdown happened – just as the couple were preparing to break ground. This didn’t hold up the build for too long though, as the main contractor did his homework and found out it was still possible for two people to work on site under social distancing guidelines. “Our builder and his groundworker had such a can-do approach. They started by clearing the site and digging stuff out,” says Chris.

Essential Advice: Building an Oak Frame Home: a Self Builder’s Complete Guide

Chris and Mary did a lot of the landscaping jobs themselves, working on site alongside the builders

As the plot sits on a green sand foundation, the Noons put in a thick concrete raft foundation to support their home. “There was a lot more sand to be removed than we’d initially thought,” says Chris. “We had 60 lorry loads taken away in the end, which was tricky on the narrow lane that leads to our plot.” The additional excavation work and earth removal added to costs, too.

Another setback occurred when the builders were pouring the concrete for the foundations. “There was a car fire on the main road, which held up the lorry, so the cement inside started going off,” says Chris. “You can’t have the slab half built because the cement cracks, so that was an interesting and unnerving moment for us all!”

One of the high points of the build was when Westwind Oak arrived to erect the oak frame skeleton. The primary oak structure took the team of six just three days to put up, plus a further five days to assemble the SIPs envelope. “It was so exciting to see – it went up so quickly that we thought we would be moving in soon,” says Chris. “We watched the guys fix everything together with huge mallets, banging these great oak beams into place.”

Finishing Up the Project

In May 2021, the Noons moved into their new home, even though work on the internal fit-out was ongoing. “We lived upstairs while our builders finished off downstairs; we had everything we needed on the top level,” says Chris. Thanks to the wow-factor views from the glazed doors on the top floor, the open-plan zone is the couple’s favourite place to spend time. “I love the kitchen – when we have people over we often end up socialising around the island,” she says.

The striking quartzite kitchen worktop is one of Chris’s most cherished design details. “We each chose a special feature for the interiors – I chose the worktop, which was mined in Brazil, stored in Italy and polished in the New Forest,” he says. “Mary chose the mosaic in the bathroom, which was created by a local artisan.”

The colourful mosaic feature in the family bathroom was Mary’s idea. Crafted by Mosaic Squared, a local artisan was brought in to complete the detailed installation

Crafted by a local joiner and steelwork engineer, the bespoke staircase is another of the house’s striking elements. “We looked through lots of magazines for inspiration before finding trades who could put it together for us – it was probably one of the last elements to be finished,” says Chris.

When it came to decorating the house, the couple wanted each of the rooms to have its own sense of character, so all the bedrooms have their own brightly painted feature wall. Each of the ground floor zones have been designed with flexibility in mind, serving at least two functions. For instance, one of the spaces doubles up as an art studio, while another bedroom also acts as an exercise room.

“The house works wonderfully at Christmas, too, when family visits,” says Mary. “Chris’s dad, who is 102, can stay in our room as he has everything he needs on the top floor. We move to the guest room downstairs, and there’s still plenty of space for the kids.”

Supplied by Rationel, the frames of the triple glazed windows are aluminium on the outside and timber on the inside

Reflecting on the build, the couple have zero regrets – despite some of the stressful moments they experienced along the way. “I’d recommend self building to anyone, though I wouldn’t do it again because what we’ve created here is so fantastic,” says Chris.

Mary agrees, crediting the professionalism and solution-oriented attitude of the architect and builders as having helped her through some of the tough moments. “You quickly get over the obstacles and you’re onto the next thing,” she says. “Building a house is like having a baby – you forget the pain once it’s over and can enjoy the benefits.”

Learn More: 10 Steps to Your Dream Self Build Home