Big... and beautiful (From York Press)

Big... and beautiful

8:10am Thursday 17th November 2011

Brian Page falls for the American-style ranch-house charms of a superbly-spacious home.

WHEN Bob and Maureen Brandon moved into their previous house – a pretty village property in Skelton, just outside York, they immediately set about ‘Americanising’ the place.

“It was a nice house,” Bob drawls in a distinctive mid-Western twang, “but the rooms were a little on the small side – we like big rooms.”

Well, no such programme of works was required when Bob and Maureen made the hop across the city to their present home, Saddlers Rest, in Farriers Chase on the edge of Strensall.

A distinctive Hogg the Builder ‘flagship’ property, it was built on a grand scale. As in big, big, big...

“Yeah, it’s a big property,” Bob says. “Plenty of room... You would call it a bungalow in this country, back in the States we would call it a ranch house.”

The parallels are obvious – especially when you view the house from the (quite lovely) back garden and see the scope of the timber conservatory and adjacent family room pushing their way onto a large patio area.

But, wait, we are getting ahead of ourselves here. Let’s get back to the beginning.

It’s a nasty, wet day as I arrive, dull and overcast and spitting with rain. Nice then, once Bob has opened the front door and ushered me in, to arrive in a light, bright and spacious hallway running the length of the property.

Its warm, welcoming feel is emphasised by the solid oak flooring underfoot and by the invitingly-open three sets of double doors which open onto various living and bedrooms.

“Well, I like the flow of the house,” Bob says, “and that starts right here in the hallway where you get this great feeling of space.”

Indeed. But this is only the first of a series of wow factors that, over the next 30 minutes, are going to leave me feeling knocked out by this superb property.

We move into the kitchen/living/dining/family room – I use all of these descriptions as this is an incredibly versatile area, a super heart-of-the-home spot with lots of sitting and dining space and a breakfast room area overlooking the garden.

It’s not hard to imagine Bob, a cheerful, affable host, enjoying entertaining friends in this room.

Originally from Chicago, Bob and Maureen (originally from Northern Ireland) have lived here for three years and, Bob says, loved every moment of it.

“The other great thing about being here is that we have fabulous neighbours, you couldn’t wish for better people. If there is one thing I will really miss it will be the neighbours.”

I would miss the house, too, I suggest. I already feel right at home here, whether because of Bob’s welcoming ways or the fact that this is a property that just makes you feel immediately comfortable… From the kitchen we move down the hallway and into the lounge, again a big room with a Hogg trademark exposed brick Inglenook fireplace with inset wooden beam over at its heart.

Even on this dull day light is streaming in from the side window – and the doors out to a solid timber-framed conservatory.

“This is a great place to sit and look out over the garden,” Bob says. And what a garden to look at… It’s south-west facing, gets the sun almost all day and has been designed to make the most of that fact.

There is a stone-flagged terrace running along and around the whole of the back of the house, with raised decking areas, walkways, immaculate lawn and high hedge surrounds – and with open countryside beyond.

At one end there is a covered gazebo area housing a barbecue. “I do love to barbecue,” Bob says. “We had a party here recently with around 50 people and no one felt cramped, inside or out.”

We move back through the living room and to the hallway, turn right and find a formal dining room. “We use this as a dining room but it could just as easily be another bedroom,” Bob says.

And as to the bedrooms... well, at the end of the hall there is a guest bedroom suite to the right with an ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower.

And then (and here’s yet another wow factor) we come to the master bedroom which is stunning. It is awash with light from windows and double French doors which open out onto the garden terrace, there are built-in wardrobes all along one wall – and sitting in the middle of the room is the biggest bed I’ve seen outside a stately home.

“Yeah, well, you know we Americans like our big beds,” Bob laughs as my jaw drops. “We had this one brought over from the States. I think you would call it an Emperor bed over here.”

I don’t know what we would call it, apart from huge.

And it’s interesting to note that despite the size of this sleeping giant the room still seems spacious and there’s plenty of room to walk around. (And there is another en-suite here with bath and walk-in shower).

“It’s certainly lovely waking up in this room and looking out over the garden first thing in the morning,”

Bob says.

There’s a slightly wistful tone there, I suggest.

“We’ll miss it here,” Bob agrees. “But we are working at retirement and we have our eye on somewhere back in Northern Ireland.” Bob has worked for most of his life in the railway industry in the US, the UK and in various parts of Eastern Europe.

Pushing my jaw back into place, I let Bob lead me through a utility room to a door which opens onto a (yes, a very big) double garage.

It’s just a great home, I conclude. Lots of space, lots of light, great gardens and, while one side abuts a fairly busy road, it’s tucked into a cul-de-sac position with open outlooks to the back.

And for anyone who likes their homes with American super-sized rooms a real Yankee Doodle Dandy…

SADDLER’S REST, FARRIERS CHASE, STRENSALL

Reception rooms: 3/4.

Bedrooms: 2/3.

Bathrooms: 2.

Gardens: Superb, private south-west facing rear garden.

Garage: Large double with storage space over.

Wow Factor: So much to choose from but I loved the kitchen/family room.

Price: £399,950.

Contact: Your Move Anscombs.

Telephone: 01904 621532.