We’ve all fantasised about making a house our perfect home, but David has actually done it.
Walmar Close, Hadley Wood, EN4
It’s clear to see that this five bedroom house in Hadley Wood, EN4 is far from ordinary, presenting plenty of personality alongside a wide range of up-to-date fittings, but David’s motivation began with a very natural desire for the familiar. “I bought the house because my family lived here, I grew up here,” says David.
“I bought the house because my family lived here, I grew up here,”
And what better place is there to create the property of your dreams?
Having some experience in developing properties on a lesser scale, David wanted to take things a step further when it came to presenting his masterpiece. “What I wanted to do was rather than work to a minimum budget, invest in an outstanding finish and accessories to create a wow factor.”
There is no doubt that the property provides a spectacular impression with modern, airy and bright rooms and a stylish finish, but if you dig a little deeper, there is even more going on beneath the surface.
“There are several features I am very pleased with that aren’t common elsewhere. A mechanical ventilation system provides a complete air change every hour, as well as space heating so there is no need for radiators. Standard air conditioning only draws in around 5 per cent fresh air and keeps recirculating already cooled air, but this system pulls in 100 per cent fresh air,” explains David.
“There are several features I am very pleased with that aren’t common elsewhere."
And this - quite literal - airy feel is emphasised further by the wonderful open-plan layout that is uninterrupted by heavy support beams, owing to self insulated panels (SIPPs) that present far more support than a normal house would benefit from.
Worried that such a sleek finish will take ages to clean? David’s thought of that too. “A central vac system facilitates that no dust is left on glass shelves or tables, as all the dust is taken into the garage.” All you need to do is plug in a hose with a vacuum head into the wall, which also means no need to haul your vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs.
In fact, David seems to have thought ahead with every feature he’s incorporated, even the spectacular windows at the rear of the property.
“I was very mindful with all the glass at the back of the house, as I was worried about having a greenhouse effect and it getting too hot. So I had all the glass coated on the outside to reflect the sun, while the inside glazing keeps the heat in,” he adds.
It’s hard to think which room could be the most memorable with the entire house being so eye-catching, but David manages to narrow it down. “I have two favourite rooms. The master bedroom is a fabulous room. It has double eaves height and is about 70 square metres. On either side of the bed you have two pocket doors, leading through to the walk-in wardrobe on one side and to the en suite bathroom on the other side,” he shares.
Pocket doors are actually used throughout the ground floor too, allowing the door to slide into the wall as another clever space-saving feature.
The second room that David is most proud of is the family room that projects out into the rear garden with a long row of glass doors. “In the corner where the two sets of bi-folding doors meet, there is no column, giving the impression that the roof is suspended in the air,” he explains.
Of course this easy access to the garden presents the perfect setting for entertaining too. “It’s quite a cool house to host a great party! There is mood lighting throughout and a round speaker that you can take into the garden, as it will pick up music from the inside of the house using WiFi. It comes with a remote, so you can change the tracks from outside too.”
After taking such care developing the property, it’s now time for David to move on, but he seems happy to have tried and tested each feature for the next owner.
“I’ve lived here with my family for over 35 years and we really enjoyed this time bringing up our family. But it’s only my wife and myself now; our children have married and flown the nest and the house is just too large for us. It’s a great family house, for another family to enjoy now.”
To arrange a viewing of this spectacular five bedroom house, contact our Barnet Office on 020 8963 5050.
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