THE Kerr family’s newly-built modern home on the steep hillside overlooking Marsden has become something of a local talking point.
As its designer and owner, architect Daniel Kerr says: “It has generated quite a bit of curiosity, but we have had no-one say that it doesn’t fit in.”
Surrounded on all sides by traditional stone 1940s houses, Hard Hill stands alone with its contemporary lines and unusual construction.
From the outside it has that unmistakable stamp of what is known in the real estate trade as ‘an architect-designed house.’
Inside, it is quite clearly a much-used family home, inhabited by Daniel, 46, his wife Marie, 45, and two sons Christopher, 10, and Kieran, 13.
Daniel, a former physics graduate, began thinking about creating the three-bedroomed detached residence several years ago. He had gone back to university to study architecture and was still working towards his professional qualifications. At the time the family was living in the end-of-terrace house next door, which just happened to have a large garden to the side.
It is on this garden that their new home now stands and their old house has been handed over to Marie’s mother, Glenda Butterworth. The project has had an added bonus by bringing three generations of the family together.
In contrast to their previous home, Hard Hill is light and airy and both of the boys have their own bedrooms.
“They had to share a room in our old house as I used the box room as an office,” said Daniel, who set up his own practice, Superhistory, after completing his training last year.
He studied architecture at Huddersfield University before working at three West Yorkshire firms.
The house, while spacious, has not been built on a grand scale. All living areas have been combined into one big space with just a staircase – which also doubles as a giant bookcase – dividing the kitchen, dining and sitting section from a home office.
“It’s what we wanted,” said Marie, a former engineer who is now a lecturer in business studies at Leeds Metropolitan University.
“At various times we both do a lot of work at home and the idea was that we wouldn’t feel cut off from the family while working, although sometimes we are shouting ‘turn the television down’.”
On the first floor there are three bedrooms, a bathroom and outdoor terrace with panoramic views over the Colne Valley.
The family has made the transition from traditional to contemporary living quite painlessly.
Only the boys’ two cats, Shadow and Lightning, have been confused by the move and, for a while, kept going back to their old home.
After living in the house for more than a year the family has yet to find any real problems with the design.
Marie loves her red kitchen units which were top of her wish list and the boys say that having their own bedrooms has made them happy.
Visitors to Hard Hill last week – at one point so numerous that Daniel lost count – praised its bold design and use of new materials.
Created to be energy efficient and cheap to run, the house, which cost £225,000 to build, is bedded on a concrete slab, with a timber-framed first floor. The cladding is a grey fibre cement. “It is very highly insulated and very air tight,” said Daniel.
He’s now hoping that builders will be interested in his design, not least because the house can be constructed quickly and relatively cheaply.
But first and foremost he is enjoying the satisfaction of living in his own creation – and showing it off to the general public.
“One of the comments I’ve had is that while it is a departure from traditional designs it points the way to a future in keeping with the local area,” he said.
But until more such houses dot the Pennine hillsides, the Kerr family home will no doubt continue to be a curiosity.
