

The Best of Both Worlds: Family Togetherness with Our Own Space
Granny Annexes
For David and Anne Hamilton, their picturesque log home on stilts overlooking a river, while beautiful for many years, was beginning to present significant challenges.
“We’d lived in our old house for 12 wonderful years, but access had become increasingly difficult, requiring a couple of stairlifts due to Anne’s knee problems,” David explains. “The growing worry was our complete reliance on those lifts working. It simply wasn’t a sustainable option for the future, leading us to the conclusion that we would eventually have to move.”
Then came a thoughtful suggestion from their son, Duncan. “He said, ‘I’ve got an area in my garden, why don’t you live there?’” David recounts. And as they say, the rest is history…
The couple are now the proud owners of a stunning log annex nestled at the end of their son’s Cambridgeshire garden. With its own separate entrance and dedicated outdoor space, they enjoy the wonderful benefits of being close to family, yet with the cherished independence and privacy they value.
“We felt it was really important to maintain a sense of our own space and not feel like we were ever intruding,” Anne explains. “So, we have our own doorbell, and our son has one too. We ring each other’s if we ever want to visit, just as you would with a neighbour.”
Their new home has been cleverly designed to maximise morning sunlight, with windows thoughtfully oriented away from their son’s property. Contemporary bifold doors open onto a lovely decking area with a ramp leading down to their small, private garden. Inside, a spacious open-plan living area and a stylish, on-trend kitchen take centre stage, complemented by a convenient study, a generous double bedroom with an en suite, a cloakroom, and a practical utility room.
Anne spearheaded the initial research into annexes, and after visiting Norwegian Log’s inviting show homes in Reading, “we fell in love with them immediately,” she recalls.
The bespoke layout of their lodge perfectly caters to the couple’s needs, and with an eye on the future, they ensured the design was as accessible as possible, including a raised toilet height and ramped access to the outdoors.
“Planning was surprisingly easy. Norwegian Log handled everything; we simply provided the paperwork, and before we knew it, we had the consent through the post,” David shares. “The team who assembled it were incredibly efficient and accommodating. They stayed locally during the week, allowing them to put in long hours. We were still living in our old house but came up every day to see the progress.”
“There’s no wasted space now, no rooms filled with clutter like we used to have. Everything is thoughtfully laid out to meet our needs. It’s warm, cosy, and bright, and our electricity bills are so much lower,” David explains with satisfaction.
Anne adds with warmth, “Living next to family is one of the greatest joys. We’re the in-built dog sitters and parcel collectors, and they do so much for us in return. We’re always there to lend each other a hand, which is just wonderful.”
Next Owners’ Story
It's warm and it's cosy; it's solid and it's quiet. The fragrance of pine reminds you of Scandinavian forests and summer evenings. Your imagination starts to take you places. You imagine a wood burner, perhaps a desk or why not just some space to think?
Our show home is 36 years old, yet customers still say it looks and feels brand new. That's the quality of our workmanship and the materials. When you step into a Norwegian Log building you're stepping into a feeling and just like our buildings it's one that will last.
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