Abigail Saltmarsh visits an impressive home in Burnham Market with walls of glass offering breathtaking views of the rural beauty.
Through its breath-taking, modern design and clever use of materials, exquisite Saltmarsh House somehow manages to both complement and contrast with its magnificent north Norfolk surroundings.
Set at the top of Herrings Lane in Burnham Market, the impressive six-bedroom house takes in panoramic views across the countryside and coast, while offering living and entertaining spaces that provide the ultimate in comfort and quality of life.
On the market with Sowerbys at a guide price of £3.65 million, the property has an eye-catching, square design, which is softened through its use of flint and timber on external walls, as well as sedum on some of its roofs.
Great walls of glass serve not only to bring the views into the living spaces but also to reflect the surrounding colours of the countryside and sky, also helping the contemporary structure to sit easily against its spectacular background.
Saltmarsh House was built five years ago, explains Will Lightfoot, manager of the Burnham Market branch of Sowerbys.
'It was designed by Thomas Faire Architects of Burnham Market and has won a number of building awards,' he points out. 'Designing and building the property was a long process but the result was a house quite unlike anything else both in its style and its use of materials.
'It was designed to catch the sunshine throughout the day and to ensure that every room has a view; it offers spacious, contemporary living areas without feeling cavernous and it incorporates modern technology throughout.'
The ingenious design of Saltmarsh House has resulted in an upside-down house, with bedrooms at the lower level and most of the living areas up on the first floor where they capture and draw in the vistas.
There are six bedrooms in total; each is double in size and has an en suite bathroom.
The master suite spans two floors: upstairs the sumptuous bedroom has a wall of glass, presenting a picture of rural beauty to enjoy every morning, and there is also access on to a balcony. Private stairs then lead down to a dressing room and magnificent en suite bathroom featuring a large bath and walk-in shower.
The library or study is also located on the ground floor, where it has south-facing windows and glass doors that bring the sunshine streaming in.
Upstairs, the enormous kitchen, dining and family room sits at the centre of the house. With windows on either side, this is where new owners will truly feel at one with their surroundings as they prepare food, dine with friends and relax at the weekend on comfortable seating.
The sleek German Bulthaup kitchen has been beautifully designed to offer plenty of hidden storage, including a large concealed walk-in pantry.
'Appliances are from Gaggenau, Miele and Wolf, and include a large double oven, warming drawer, microwave, two dishwashers, two wine cooling fridges and coffee machine,' says Will. 'It has all been designed for ease of use.'
Glass doors on one side of the kitchen slide open to give a smooth flow on to the expansive terrace, which faces south and has plenty of space for outdoor furniture.
'This would be an amazing house for parties, especially in the summer,' says Will. 'One of the many high-tech features here is a fully integrated AV system, which has Sonos speakers throughout the house and would be fantastic for playing music when entertaining.'
Other 21st century touches at Saltmarsh House include Lutron mood lighting, automatic sun blinds, an air circulation system and underfloor heating. There are also electric gates, together with CCTV and an alarm system – and everything can be managed via an intelligent home control system. Ensuring the house also has green credentials are its air source heating system and solar panels.
Beyond the kitchen, and with a dual aspect, is the sitting room, where a contemporary wood-burning stove can be lit on winter evenings. The new owners may also wish to descend to basement level on such occasions, where they will be able to while away the evening in the cinema and games room. Here there is a 3D projection system, screen and surround sound, as well as space for sofas and a pool table.
On sunny days, however, those living here are likely to choose to make the most of the glorious setting and to enjoy the outside areas at the property. The garden at Saltmarsh House has been professionally designed by David Domoney and features well-established plants and trees, as well as a sunken south-facing terrace
Within the grounds there is a separate gym, which has two sets of bi-folding doors and is connected to the television and music system.
• Saltmarsh House at Burnham Market is on the market with Sowerbys at a guide price of £3.65 million. For more information call 01328 730340
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