Stunning barn conversions as Askham Bryan (From York Press)

Stunning barn conversions as Askham Bryan

11:46am Thursday 19th April 2012 in Homes By Brian Page

BARN conversions, the nice lady at Stephensons says, they’re like buses. You wait ages for one to come along and then... two at once... and so it is with a pair of stunning homes we’re looking at this week.

Strictly speaking they are not both conversions – one of them is a new-build “in the style of a barn conversion”. Hey ho, who cares?

It’s enough to say they are both absolutely stunning properties.

We’ll start with Grain Store Barn at Askham Bryan which, as the name suggests, is a former grain store which has been skilfully converted to retain the best of its original features for character while providing masses of mod cons for comfort.

There is a beautiful flow to this house, with a huge open-plan arrangement allowing the living room to run into a dining area which in turn opens onto a marvellous breakfast kitchen.

Just for good measure, there is a family room/snug tucked off the living room (both have doors opening onto a rear garden). It’s all delightfully light, bright and spacious with ceiling beams and trusses over plenty of floor space.

On the first floor there is a double bedroom with en-suite, two further doubles and a fourth bedroom/study, serviced by a house bathroom. And then on the second floor there is a generous guest bedroom suite.

It’s wrapped up with pleasant gardens and a double garage.

Absolutely brilliant home, priced at £540,000 by Stephensons.

The same agent also has the next home in our ‘two buses’ routine, this one being The Villa in Burton Gates, High Catton, a development of just four decidedly up-market homes.

This is another delight, a big and beautiful home with a jaw-dropping breakfast kitchen and dining room arrangement that is, as the saying goes, to die for.

Both of these rooms have doors opening onto the garden, which means light streams in and dances around in sparkling fashion.

Beyond the dining room there is a large lounge, again with French doors, with a pitched beamed ceiling above and solid wood floor underneath.

The practicalities on this floor are taken care of by a utility room and cloakroom and there is an integral tandem garage.

Upstairs, off a galleried landing and inner hall, there is a master bedroom with ensuite, two further good doubles and a decent-sized single and a house bathroom.

It’s all highly contemporary, highly stylish, and with underfloor heating throughout the ground floor it’s going to be warm and toasty.

Another super home, this one priced at £535,000.

In both instances, contact Stephensons on 01904 625533.