They say the only way is up but, for the Ashton family, owning the house of their dreams became something of a sideways move. Vale Life takes a closer look.
GLASS HOUSE
We first came across this stunning home when it was featured on the cover of the September 2010 issue of Self Build & Design magazine so upon reading the article, I was surprised and intrigued to see the property was in South Wales. As someone who would ultimately like to self build, I couldn't help but admire the design and creativity that had gone into its creation.
Mike and Pam Ashton had hoped to extend their existing home sideways when the 1930's bungalow next door came onto the market in 2005. With much deliberation, they came to the conclusion that completely replacing the bungalow with a brand new home was a far more practical solution. After exploring various ideas, including building an oak framed property, the couple chose to build in rendered block-work with a natural slate roof.
The creative design includes a basement garage, workshop and den. Bedrooms are on the ground floor with a gorgeous open plan living, dining and kitchen area on the first floor which opens on to front and rear balconies framed with nautical themed stainless steel balustrades.
One of the most striking features of the build is the glass. There seems to be acres of it. Blue aluminium-framed doors and windows from Cardiff-based Vellacine, the window and conservatory centre, ensure the light floods in, and their views over the Bristol Channel to the North Devon coast beyond are uninterrupted. Owners Mike and Pam declared, "We chose Ocean Blue coloured aluminium frames, which complement the glass, and the self cleaning coating means we don't have to worry about reaching the higher windows."
Mark Nayler, Managing Director of Vellacine said, "This was a wonderful project to be associated with. The tower and high level windows are glazed with Pilkington Activ Blue - a stunning blue glass that combines self cleaning properties with solar control for a cooler interior."
Mark added, "We manufacture all our frames right here at our facility in Cardiff. We work with many different types of client from schools, architects and builders and some of our contracts are very large. However, projects on the scale of Mike and Pam's are particularly enjoyable as they're a little outside the norm and demonstrate that frames don't have to be simply white or black. It gives us enormous satisfaction when we see features like the one in the magazine as you see the effect it has on the end user. Vellacine is delighted to have been associated with this project."
You can't help being impressed with Mike and Pam's house. The stylish combination of contemporary design and natural materials; slate, glass, wood and stainless steel, has created a beautiful contemporary home and one that will be an inspiration to other self build enthusiasts.
