Looking at the design of your new home can be a daunting
task, to say the least, if you’re just starting out on this
journey for the first time. The excitement at the thought of
being able to live and experience a house designed just
for you is a powerful thing however, and will get you
through the tough decisions. A lot of people, having looked
on the net, collated a few ideas and made some pages of
notes often then come upon a stumbling block – how to
translate these, thoughts, ideas and feelings into
something more solid, more representative of the whole?
I’d like to share with you my professional experience on
Oak frame design, and hopefully with my help you will be a
step closer to achieving your dream.
The first step, once you have a few ideas of what you
would like to build (try some internet searches, and also
look at the self build magazines), is to consider how you
would like to live, and how you would use the space. If you
are an outdoorsy person you will probably want to think
about where you will enter your house having been out for
a walk, ride or work in the garden for instance. Next, do
you spend a lot of time entertaining in the kitchen? Or do
you prefer to snuggle cosy by the fire in a snug living
room? How many bedrooms do you wish to have (think
about family members and guests etc.). Once you have
considered questions like this you will have a much better
idea of the space you will need, and it will also guide you
in the style choices to come.
Secondly we come to the budget. You will need to have an
accurate picture of your available finances from the outset.
The budget you set will ultimately have a huge impact on
the design of your new home and I would encourage you
to put some figures down on paper early on in the process.
Savings etc. are easy to quantify, and mortgage lenders
will give you an ‘agreement in principal’ showing the
amount they will potentially lend to you with no
commitment.
Thirdly, we come to the big, exciting concept of ‘Style’.
There are a surprising number of styles to differentiate
between when designing an Oak Framed home – from
slick, clean contemporary lines with clean finishes and
light, airy glazing, to the warm, cosy and luxurious
traditional styles that through the centuries of Britain’s
architecture. The best advice I can give you here is DO
YOUR RESEARCH, and pick 3-5 aspects that you would
like to incorporate into your build, for example: Barn style
exterior; big windows & lots of light; double-height living
space; curved oak braces & beams.
At this stage it would be an idea to start sketching out
some floor plans. If you are a dab hand with a pencil and
ruler then by all means lay them out to scale. If not don’t
worry, just sketching out some rough room layouts will be a
good exercise to get you thinking about the space and
how it will be used.
Lastly – take advice. I would always recommend getting in
touch with the professionals at an early stage. Come and
speak to us, and if you are using an architect (something
we would generally recommend) then open up a dialogue
with one who understands the use of Oak Frames. We are
always happy to have a chat over a cup of coffee, and we
can put you in touch with Architects and other professions
to help you on your way. Happy self-building!
By: Brendan Beal (Managing Director and principal
designer at Heritage Oak Frames Ltd.)
