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Catherine and Alistair Colston replaced plans to retrofit an existing property with a new-build home designed around their phased retirement. Its ground-floor main suite, practical storage and lower-maintenance garden are paired with considered interiors and systems including solar panels and an air-source heat pump.
Catherine and Alistair Colston have built a home intended to support their move into phased retirement, replacing a proposed renovation with a new-build designed around mobility, comfort and their preferred style. The couple’s project, reported by Ideal Home, puts the main bedroom suite on the ground floor and combines practical planning with features such as a full-length balcony, a landscaped garden and an open view across a valley.
The Colstons had lived for 26 years in a Grade II-listed home before deciding to downsize. Catherine, a property investor and owner of Black Door Stays, and Alistair, a chartered surveyor, initially considered renovating a house on a plot they knew. They said retrofitting it would be expensive and would require compromises on room sizes, so they sought permission to demolish, rebuild and extend to the side, incorporating a small old garage.
Working with BPB Architects and interior designer Grace King of Studio Rey, they designed the house to be usable as their needs change. The main bedroom suite is on the ground floor, and its bathroom includes a generous walk-in shower and double vanity. The kitchen has ergonomic drawers and a dishwasher raised to waist height, while sliding doors connect the living room and bedroom to the balcony.
The couple also chose solar panels on the south-facing roof, an air-source heat pump, triple glazing and underfloor heating. They say the systems are intended to make the house thermally efficient and inexpensive to run; no measured energy use or running-cost figures are provided in the report. Outside, they have created terraces, raised beds and an outdoor bath beneath a pergola. Plans include an outdoor kitchen and planting fruit trees and wildflowers on land they bought behind the property.
Planning for Retirement at Home
The project shows how a new-build can address concerns about future mobility without reducing the home to a list of accessibility features. The Colstons prioritized single-level access to their main suite and easier-to-use kitchen and bathroom fittings, while also making room for entertaining, outdoor living and distinctive interior design.
For readers considering a move later in life, the account offers a concrete example of planning around anticipated needs before they arise. It is not evidence that a bespoke build is affordable or suitable for everyone: the report gives no overall project cost, construction timeline or comparison with the price of adapting an existing home.
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From Listed Home to New Build
The couple’s decision followed more than two decades in a Grade II-listed property. Their original plan was to retrofit the house on the new plot, but they said the expense and likely room-size compromises led them to pursue demolition, rebuilding and a side extension instead. The report does not detail the planning process or the permissions granted.
Design choices combine practical features with personal preferences. Terrazzo worktops and island surfaces informed the kitchen palette, alongside ribbed painted doors and walnut cabinetry. In the living room, voile curtains soften a large picture window without obscuring the valley view. The couple aimed for individual room designs tied together by shared colours and timber finishes.
“We’re both moving into a phased retirement, and we wanted a home that was going to see us through our latter years.”
— Catherine Colston, speaking to Ideal Home
Costs and Performance Not Reported
Ideal Home’s account does not state the build cost, project duration or energy bills, so readers cannot assess the financial trade-offs or verify the couple’s expectation that the home will cost little to run. It also does not provide technical details on accessibility standards, the home’s energy rating, or whether the design has been tested against particular mobility requirements.
The outdoor kitchen and planting on the purchased field are described as future plans, rather than completed features. The report does not say when those projects will happen or provide details about the pond’s rainwater-irrigation system.
Planned Garden Work Ahead
The next developments described by the Colstons are in the garden: they plan to add an outdoor kitchen and plant fruit trees and wildflowers on the field behind the house. They also intend to use a pond to support rainwater irrigation. Ideal Home’s report does not give a schedule for that work.
The home is presented as a long-term residence for the couple as they enter phased retirement. No further construction milestones or plans for evaluating the house’s energy performance are reported.
Key Questions
Who lives in the new-build home?
Catherine and Alistair Colston live there. Catherine is a property investor and owner of Black Door Stays; Alistair is a chartered surveyor.
What makes the house more suitable for changing mobility needs?
The main bedroom suite is on the ground floor, and the en-suite has a walk-in shower. The kitchen also includes ergonomic drawers and a waist-height dishwasher. The report does not specify formal accessibility standards.
What energy systems does the home have?
The house has solar panels, an air-source heat pump, triple glazing and underfloor heating. The report gives no energy-use data or confirmed running-cost figures.
Why did the couple choose to build rather than renovate?
They said retrofitting the existing house would be very expensive and would require compromises on room sizes. They pursued permission to demolish, rebuild and extend the property instead.
What parts of the garden are still planned?
The couple say an outdoor kitchen is still to come. They also plan to plant fruit trees and wildflowers on land behind the home; no schedule is reported.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
