Our daughter and son-in-law live across the garden and so our grandchildren stay for sleepovers at weekends and school holidays

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With the finishing touches being completed on the smart paving in front of their new log home, Brian and Barbara Taylor are part of a blossoming number of families now living in a multi-generational household.

Just across the pretty garden, past a flowering fruit tree, is their daughter Selina’s house, which she shares with her husband Rob, two children and dog.

Their new living arrangement is proving to be a win win for all concerned. “Our grandchildren come home from school and come straight in here to see us,” explains Brian. "And they take it in turns having sleepovers at ours at the weekend."

This beneficial setup is a recent development as the couple lived an hour and a half away in Cambridgeshire. With health issues starting to arise and the couple needing more support, the subsequent commute for Selina was becoming a worry. 

“We’ve always been exceptionally close with daily phone calls, weekend visits and all our holidays spent together. It was quite a long journey there and back and so we kept on saying for them to move down here. But property prices around us are unfortunately much more expensive than where they had been living, so Rob put his thinking cap on and suggested siting something for them at the bottom of our garden,” says Selina.

This was taken as a joke at first but as good as his word, son-in-law Rob set about researching accommodation options and found Norwegian Log online. After visiting the company’s Reading show home, the decision was made, with the couple opting for a two-bedroom log annex.

A Certificate of Lawful Use was obtained from the Local Planning Authority and the next phase of Brian and Barbara’s life could begin.

Their new cosy home boasts an open plan living and dining area with a linked contemporary kitchen, shower room and two spacious bedrooms. Bifold doors open onto the new terrace, with views across the Hertfordshire garden and two calming water features filled with goldfish on each side.

“We all find it very relaxing, sitting on the sofa looking out at the ponds, watching the different birds visiting the garden. I love being here and if I ever need a quiet moment, I don’t have far to travel, as the cabin is so peaceful and it really does keep the noise out. Whilst I’m picking up my eldest from school, my youngest comes here and always raids the biscuit tin! Also, the other advantage of having them living with us is that we have babysitters on hand 24/7,” laughs Selina.

Brian adds: “We have enough room in here for visitors and only last weekend we had our other grandchildren and great grandchildren over visiting. We threw open the bifold doors and it was lovely watching them play in the garden and having them all here. We look forward to our other children coming to stay with us too.”

“The guys from Norwegian Log, Tom and Rob, were absolutely amazing, nothing was too much trouble, and they really did just get on with the job. They were erecting the cabin in an underused part of our garden and to be fair, none of us expected it to look as amazing as it does. To be honest none of us are great visualisers except for Rob, who actually drew up the plan for the cabin,” laughs Selina.

“I was a bit dumbfounded to be honest and a bit apprehensive about it all, as it’s a complete change but we both absolutely love living here. It’s compact and down the bottom of the garden so if anything happens, Selina, Rob and the kids are always around,” said Barbara.

“We really cannot thank Norwegian Log enough; they have made this all happen for us and from start to finish it has been effortless and certainly is the best thing we ever did,” exclaims Selina.