WELCOME HOME A beautiful

HEART & SOUL

Holwell was supposed to be Simon and Gemma Smith’s forever home, and accordingly the couple put heart and soul into its development. But having seen another plot, and finding the prospect of beginning a new project irresistible, this stunning home is now on the market...

“WHY ARE WE MOVING? I’VE NO IDEA!” says Simon Smith, sitting in the kitchen of his beautiful contemporary home, Holwell, in the centre of Stamford. “Well, I do... but...”

He looks around and I find myself in complete agreement; it’ll be a real hardship to leave the house they’ve spent over two years creating. The couple say they’ve fallen in love with a plot upon which they can begin a new project, but it’ll have to be a spectacular plot to beat the location of Holwell, and a phenomenal build to match the look and feel of the house the couple will be leaving behind. Happily, Simon and Gemma have form when it comes to creating beautiful homes. Gemma, Simon and their business partner,

David McDonald have a combined 35 years experience in the industry and have already developed eight houses in Stamford and several more in North Norfolk under the name of Forest Homes.

Simon is meticulous with the design and construction of his homes, but as this was to be their forever home he’s pulled out all the stops and it’s a completely unique, very well-thought out home that will suit modern family life beautifully.

The house is arranged over three floors and its unique layout does warrant scrutiny. On the lower ground floor there’s the 50ft kitchen, family room and living area, as well as a generous utility room for family clobber and a separate larder to keep appliances and collateral away from the sleek kitchen surfaces.

“The master bedroom and upper ground floor lobby lead out onto a very generous outdoor terrace, with its outdoor fireplace...”

Also on the lower ground floor is a bedroom or playroom, and a shower room, so for those seeking multigenerational living, it’s a nice accessible area.

On the upper ground floor, meanwhile, and beyond the timber and glass staircase is an entrance lobby which leads to a huge master suite with dressing room and en suite, as well as a guest suite with adjacent family bathroom. Here’s where things get really interesting: the master bedroom and lobby also lead out onto a very generous outdoor terrace, with outdoor fireplace, living/dining area and stunning views from its elevated position over towards the Burghley Estate. This terrace sits on top of the living/dining kitchen and the grounds are planted with sufficient trees and shrubs to afford complete privacy as well as providing gorgeous views of the area from the master bedroom.

Venture up another floor and you’ll find bedrooms four and five which share a family bathroom and there’s also a couple of large garages outdoors that provide plenty of storage for vehicles, bikes and clutter.

The property’s kitchen has been created by Stamford’s Bakehouse Kitchens and incorporates handleless matte cabinetry, white veined Dekton surfaces and appliances by Wolf and Sub Zero; a fridge, freezer, wine cooler and eye-level ovens. >>

>> The living kitchen also incorporates a TV lounge with a contemporary double-sided glass fireplace operated by remote control. And speaking of control, the house also incorporates a Control4 system installed by Stamford’s OrangehouseAV which neatly incorporates heating and ventilation, media, security cameras and other functions. The house also features heat-recovery tech which not only provides environmentally friendly heating but also ensures air entering the house is filtered to remove allergens. Leading out from the living kitchen is a large terrace with a contemporary outdoor kitchen and beautifully manicured stepped borders. You’ll notice that both the outdoor areas and

Above: Built with contemporary style living in mind, Holwell features light and open spaces with a superb connection to the outside.

its indoor spaces make especially effective use of light, and that’s no accident. Simon and Gemma enlisted Oakham-based Lumison Lighting to manage the property’s lighting design, which has led to practical and beautiful architectural lighting effects which highlight the property’s design both day and night. The house utilises smooth local limestone, incorporating an ashlar string course outside and it has beautiful dark grey timber veneers indoors. As the whole property nestles into its hillside location, the result really is greater than the sum of its parts. Holwell is a completely unique and absolutely beautiful property, right in the centre of Stamford. “We saw the estate agent’s photos and were heartbroken,” the couple say. “They just remind us of how beautiful the place is and how much we love it. We really have got every detail right and done the whole home justice. We’d be lying if we said it didn’t make us think twice about leaving, but at least someone else will get to enjoy the place as much as we have !” n

HOLWELL NEAR STAMFORD

Location: Stamford 0.5 miles. Style: Individual architect designed property with open plan kitchen/living/dining area, terrace and four/five bedrooms.

Guide Price: £2,500,000. Find Out More:

Fine & Country, Seaton Grange Barn Offices Grange Lane Uppingham, LE15 9HT. Call 01780 750 200 or see www.fineandcountry.com. n

Homes & Furnishings

AUTUMN HOMES WITH AITCH INTERIORS OF LINCOLN

Aitch Interiors provides all of the inspiration, ideas, furniture, finishing touches and expertise you need to make the transformation of any room in your home a complete success. Owner Robyn Buckle has over a decade of experience creating beautiful rooms and provides anything from furniture to made-to-measure luxury curtains and blinds, to soft furnishings and upholstered furniture. >>

Above: Make a statement with this grand white cedar bookcase, 3.1 metres wide. Works beautifully in a library or office space, £3,450. Right: Black display cabinet, 2 metres tall, £385.

Upcycle with Earthborn

Aitch Interiors stocks Earthborn, a British range of luxury vegan paint that is low in toxicity. The clay based formula is perfect for lime render, with its stunning flat finish.

Pictured below: Laurie Anne art print ‘Antelope’ Island Horizon £65.

<< Lean on this super on-trend Hambledon shelf ladder for reception room, bathroom or bedroom, in oak, 1.8m x 96cm wide £480.

WE LOVE MYLANDS’ CHAMBERS GATE

Mylands is a British range of luxury high end interior and exterior paints that are hard-wearing due to them containing crushed marble. Stocked by Aitch, there are over 160 colours in the range. We adore this dramatic No85 Chambers Gate shade, £94/five litre in super flat marble matt emulsion.

OFFERING MINIMAL ELEGANCE the Chilson Hallway Bench meets all storage and seating needs. Aitch Interiors has married a cement fibre top with the rustic acacia wood frame for a stable, durable piece for the home. The chunky box style with slatted lower shelf has ample room to store shoes and boots usually found dotted around the hallway. The soft mix of tones would suit any style of home interior and can be neatly positioned beside a doorway for everyday use, 95cm wide, £212.

Beautifully simple, yet a real statement piece, this 5ft four poster bed makes the perfect focal point in a master bedroom, £940.

INDUSTRIAL STYLE AND STORAGE

We really love this iron and mango trolley unit, which provides plenty of storage, and can be moved about for more flexibility. It’s ideal for hallways.

Iron and mango wood trolley, 130cm x 10cm x 98cm, £907.

FIND OUT MORE

These featured products are available at Aitch Interiors or to order online. The studio offers timeless pieces that are chosen for their quality and design to make your home a comfortable sanctuary and owner Robyn Buckle can have bespoke pieces made to your design. Also coming soon are Zoffany Paints, Clarke & Clarke fabrics. Appointments preferred so owner Robyn Buckle can reserve time to see you properly, but for a free, no obligation chat about your room, call 01522 810961 or see www.aitchinteriors.co.uk. n