Amy and Adrian Mole self-built their stunning new family home on a disused site adjacent to greenbelt land.

TEXT Alexandra Pratt IMAGES Alan Williams (images courtesy of Emrys Architects)

Adrian and Amy Mole have managed the impossible: building their dream home in rural Kent within an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), and just outside the greenbelt. The home, which they share with daughter Emilia, was once the site of an old garage on a builder’s dump. Today, the land has been restored, and thoughtful design, natural materials and low-impact construction have created a modern sanctuary, quietly nestled among wildflower meadows and an orchard.

The family bought a derelict Grade II listed property in a Kent village just over 10 years ago and renovated it, before moving in and enjoying life. “But,” says Adrian, who is a semi-retired builder, “We always had a plan. The house had an acre or so of land with a large garage. Some of the land was inside the village curtilage and some was in the greenbelt. From above, it looks like a wedge of cheese.”

Working with Emrys Architects, whom they had met previously through the recommendation of friends, and worked with on other projects, Adrian and Amy “sailed through” the planning process. Yet to do so meant they “ticked every box,” says Adrian, who ensured they carried out several surveys and tests. These included ground contamination (which was clear, despite the rubble) and animal surveys. Evidence of three slow worms meant Adrian had to build a special, temporary fence around the construction site. “It cost a lot of money, but we see them now in the garden,” says Adrian.

Another requirement was an archaeological survey, and the presence of an archaeologist for two and a half weeks when Adrian’s team broke ground. “He rushed over to say, ‘Good news, I’ve found the remains of a Roman dog!’” laughs Adrian. “It wasn’t so good for us!” Fortunately, the dog was eventually classified as more recent, and the build wasn’t impacted.

Amy and Adrian didn’t want a pastiche of the village’s period properties, so local farm buildings inspired the design of the family’s home. Three barn-like sections are connected via glazed links, which allow light in and frame views of the landscape. 

“The unusual geometry of the site inspired the design, resulting in three distinct building forms connected by glazed links,” explains Catriona Jones of Emrys Architects. “The surrounding field was transformed into a meadow, ensuring the greenbelt character was preserved, while still giving the family the sense of a large private green space.”

The three-part form of the house feels natural, and the meadow landscape ensures that the house does not feel like overdevelopment, partly due to the exterior finish. Like local barns, the two outer buildings are clad in black-painted timber cladding. By contrast, the central building is painted white. Each has a pitched roof, finished in standing seam zinc, another nod to the metal roofs of neighbouring agricultural byres.

“We didn’t want some fake Georgian box, we wanted something modern,” explains Adrian. “I also really like painted timber. It looks a lot better than plastic or cement fibre. This cladding looks very natural.”

Natural is the word for this project. The layout and orientation of the family’s home make the most of the surrounding landscape. At the rear, huge sliding glazed doors open
onto the wildflower meadows and surrounding fields. Not only does this indoor/outdoor connection mean the family feels immersed in the beauty of the surroundings, but careful landscaping was central to the overall vision, with hard landscaping limited to defined areas near the house.

Adrian’s creation of the meadow, new wildlife habitats, orchard and a small wood extends and enhances the natural environment, as well as screens the house. It’s a constantly changing backdrop that shifts with the seasons.

With years of experience in building to draw on, Adrian took project management of their self-build in his stride. Onsite every day, Adrian managed a core team of two builders alongside numerous subcontractors, while also rolling up his sleeves to get hands-on, from digging out the basement to designing and fabricating the steel-framed internal doors before having them powder-coated by a local firm. “I did glass work for refurbishments in a previous job,” he explains. “You can get a third off the price of glass when you order it directly from the manufacturer yourself.”

At one year, the basement was the longest phase of this project. Yet it was something Adrian wanted to do as it gave them 70sqm of extra space for the laundry, heap pump room and storage, plus a studio for Amy’s clothing business. Relishing the challenge of tackling something new, Adrian admits this was his biggest challenge on the project. To start, he researched processes and products on YouTube. He then dug out the basement, did four pours of waterproof concrete, damp-proofed it and added a sump pump.

Above ground, the buildings went up in just seven days, thanks to Adrian’s choice of structural insulated panels (SIPs) as a build system. “It seemed a sensible way to go, even though it was more expensive,” explains Adrian. “It went up very quickly, and I was able to add in even more insulation.”

Glazing is a significant part of this design, and the couple chose double glazing in aluminium framing.

“I went to lots of different suppliers to find ones we liked,” explains Adrian, who chose IQ Glass as he felt he needed specialists to supply the huge, glazed sliding doors. But, “In hindsight, I would go triple-glazed for the extra heat saving in winter,”

In the glazed links between the three sections of the house, the windows are fixed, and for these Adrian measured, ordered and fitted the glazing himself, saving, he estimates, around £30,000.

Other jobs Adrian tackled himself included the oak-treads in a stunning staircase designed by Emrys Architects, and the kitchen. Although Adrian sourced the cabinetry from Devol, he measured and fitted it himself. For the countertops, Amy opted for a composite stone that looks like Carrara marble.

When it came to the interiors, Amy was firmly in charge, choosing a neutral palette that frames the beautiful views from every window. The interiors are simple and elegant. Natural materials and finishes are sustainable, and they echo the surrounding environment, including timber, microcement, and lime-based plaster. Together, they create a calm, textured interior. 

One of the most significant choices was the flooring. The couple had initially wanted concrete floors throughout, but after seeing a concrete floor at a London art gallery, they decided against an industrial feel. “We saw an amazing concrete floor with shadow gaps in a London Art Gallery and were really tempted to use concrete throughout the ground floor. However, after much debate, we decided to break it up with really wide wooden planks, for a warmer, less industrial feel in the sitting room and kitchen,” says Amy. “We opted for Chauncey’s oak floorboards throughout the sitting, kitchen and dining room,” adds Adrian. “Chauncey does the most amazing wide oak boards (320mm), which we fell in love with, and they give a really warm modern rustic look.” 

Elsewhere, in the hallways, bathrooms and utility areas, Amy and Adrian chose microcement. Like in every other aspect of this build, Adrian was determined not to hand over aspects to outside firms. Instead, he sent one of his builders on a course so his team could install the microcement themselves. “We were really keen to use microcement,” explains Adrian.
“I don’t like tiles in bathrooms, and we even made the shower tray from it.”

A more unusual choice was a new product from Armourcoat, called Clime. This is a sustainable replacement plaster made from clay and lime, mixed with quartz. It’s self-coloured, too, so there’s no need to paint. “We absolutely love the natural soft chalky look of this and have used the same colour throughout the house,” says Adrian. “There are no pictures up in this house, as we love the finish of the walls… and the views through the windows.”

Light is a major element of this design, including not just the glazing, but the lighting design, too. Amy and Adrian attended a workshop with a specialist lighting designer so they could get this exactly right.

“We felt it was essential, both in the look of the lights themselves and also the ambience,” says Adrian. “We both attended a lighting workshop at John Cullen and then used them as consultants to design the lighting throughout the ground floor.”

In such a contemporary home, it’s unsurprising that Adrian and Amy also opted to avoid radiators and install underfloor heating. This is a wet system, run by a ground source heat pump. Although more expensive than air source and reliant on three 111m deep bore holes, a ground source heat pump is also far more efficient, drawing steady warmth from pipes buried in the earth to heat the home and hot water. For those with land, it’s a low-carbon, long-term choice that cuts fuel bills. 

“I was quoted £3,500 to bring in gas,” says Adrain. The ground source system cost £40,000, but I have the Renewable Heat Incentive, so over seven years they pay us and we will get back £20,000.”

The couple also chose a mechanical heat recovery and ventilation system to complement the underfloor heating. This draws in fresh air while capturing warmth from the stale air it expels, keeping the home airy and energy-efficient. “It keeps the house at 20 degrees and we have outlets in every room,” says Adrian. “It works pretty well.”

Adrian kept costs down by going direct to manufacturers, such as with the glass and also for the steel used in the basement, which was manufactured “a few miles down the road.” The couple sold their renovated cottage to finance the completion of the home, and the build would have been faster if Adrian hadn’t occasionally taken some time out to work and top up their funds.

As if this were not inspiration enough, Adrain also struggled with his health, juggling the demands of building their home with medical challenges. “I need a kidney transplant, so I would be hands-on during the day and do dialysis at home in the evenings,” he says.

Now that their home is complete, the whole family is enjoying their new modern country lifestyle. “Moving in here was lovely, living in something we have created from an idea,” says Adrian. “From my office, I have a view of a 12th century church, and I love the light. As IQ Glass say, ‘light is the new luxury’ and we really appreciate that, having moved from a 17th-century cottage, which was quite dark.”

Catriona Jones, from Emrys Architects, adds: “By combining architectural innovation, sustainable constructions and a personal touch, this home is as beautiful as it is functional.
I’m most proud of how the design not only met strict planning constraints but turned them into an opportunity for creativity. I am really happy that Amy and Adrian have a family home that feels unique to them and completely at ease in its environment.”