Sanctuary House, Devon: A waterfront home designed around nature

The result is open, light‑filled living spaces expanding across approximately 482 sq m, anchored by a structure that allows for its large expanses of floor‑to‑ceiling glazing framing the view. Achieving this was no mean feat: more than two years of searching for the perfect suppliers for each element of the home took them to Bologna in Italy for the hydraulic lift, Valencia in Spain for the porcelain tiles used in the natural material palette, and North Yorkshire for the showstopping helical staircase.

The glass was one of the biggest challenges - and successes. “The window in our dining area is 4 x 3 metres, and at the time the largest piece of glass installed in any residential house in the UK,” explains Ian. “We met with the board of a leading European glass company in Tipperary to better understand its qualities, such as UV radiation reflection, because it’s so integral to the home.” The glazing was made even more important due to Rosemary’s degenerative sight condition, requiring lots of light but no glare, with the property’s overhanging roof eaves blocking overbearing summer sun while enabling low winter sun to enter.

Futureproofing the home

It is just one of many careful considerations that went into the design, which places a focus on flexible, thoughtful living that can be tailored around the needs of the occupants. The lift was invaluable when Rosemary underwent major surgery that limited her mobility but is equally useful for transporting laundry and shopping between floors. A turntable makes it seamless to turn vehicles around on the single‑track private road. Meanwhile, a covered art gallery leads to a self‑contained annex - originally intended should the need for in‑home care arise, but now offering comfortable, private accommodation for family and friends while still connected to the main house.

Home automation has also been seamlessly integrated. Using a system made by Lutron and capitalising on a technology known as DALI, every single light and blind can be programmed individually. “It makes a huge difference as the sun goes down, deciding which blinds you want to pull up and down,” says Ian. It’s just one of the many possibilities unlocked by this connected home, which can be controlled via app from anywhere in the world.

Respect for nature at the heart of the home

A forward‑thinking approach to sustainability during the build phase has resulted in a home with a very high energy efficiency rating, focusing on insulation and airtightness to reduce energy demand, as well as renewable systems. The investment in green technologies includes photovoltaic panels, an air‑source heat pump and electric vehicle charging.

This deep respect for the environment leaves its mark on every element of the property, inside and out. The generous outside space includes 11 distinct areas for outdoor entertaining, which have come into their own for forming connections with neighbours. It is framed by 500 sq m of wildflower meadows that encourage insects, butterflies and birds, and provide shelter for invertebrates and small animals, and three ponds that create habitats for fish and insects. “The wildflower meadow was a natural choice because of the wildness of the wider location,” says Rosemary. “We’ve tried to create that sense of slipping into the landscape beyond.”

As they move on, it is not just their friends they will miss but the special sense of place. “It’s rare that the sky is as interesting as the water, but here it is just wonderful - especially when we get murmurations as birds gather together,” she says. “We loved it from the minute we arrived.”