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When Valeri and Stephen’s Norwegian Log home was installed in Suffolk in 2021, the world still felt uncertain. The country was moving in and out of intermittent lockdowns, plans were difficult to make, and everyday life carried a sense of waiting. Yet, from that unsettled moment, something quietly beautiful began to take shape.
What started as a new log home in the grounds of the family property has matured into a peaceful, deeply personal paradise. Today, the home sits naturally within the landscape, surrounded by flourishing gardens, open lawn, vegetable beds, chickens, flowers, trees, and a pond that reflects the calm of the space around it.
“It was such a strange time when it all began,” Valeri says. “Everything felt uncertain, but this gave us something hopeful to look towards.”
Stephen agrees. “Out of a difficult period, we created something really special. Now, when you look around, it feels like our own little paradise.”
A Home that Feels Part of the Garden
Set within the grounds of their daughter's home, Valeri and Stephen’s log home has the feel of a private retreat while still remaining closely connected to family life.
The original house, with its warm red roof and traditional charm, sits just across the lawn. Between the two homes is a wide, green space filled with mature planting, a pond, and open views. The log home rests gently at the edge of the garden, surrounded by trees, flowers and carefully tended borders.
“The lovely thing is that it doesn’t feel separate,” Valeri says. “It feels like it has grown into the garden.”
The setting feels calm and generous. There is space to breathe, space to gather, and space for the grandchildren to run freely between the house, garden and cabin.
The log home itself has softened beautifully into its surroundings. The timber exterior now sits naturally among the planting, while wide doors open out onto the decking, creating an easy flow between inside and outside.
“In the summer, we open the doors and the garden becomes part of the home,” Stephen says. “You can sit inside and still feel completely connected to everything outside.”
A Paradise for Family Life
For Valeri and Stephen, one of the greatest joys of the home is the connection it gives them to their family.
Their grandchildren can visit, explore and enjoy the garden. They can see the chickens, wander near the allotment, play on the lawn, and experience the simple pleasures of being outdoors. With the river at the back and so much nature around them, there is always something to discover.
“The grandchildren love it here,” Valeri says. “They have the garden, the chickens, the allotment, the river at the back. It’s a wonderful place for them to grow up around.”
It is the kind of place where childhood memories are made quietly: running across the grass, collecting eggs, spotting wildlife, helping in the garden, or simply sitting together in the sunshine.
Stephen says that is what makes the home so meaningful.
“We get to see them enjoying all of it,” he says. “That’s the best part. It’s not just a home for us, it’s a place the whole family can share.”
Inside the Log Home
Inside, the home feels warm, bright and personal.
The pale timber walls and vaulted ceiling create a soft, airy atmosphere, while the wood-burning stove brings a sense of cosiness and comfort. The kitchen is open and welcoming, with plenty of space for everyday living. The living area looks out towards the garden, making the view part of daily life.
There is a gentle simplicity to the interiors. Family photographs, plants, soft furnishings and personal touches make the space feel lived in and loved. The bedroom is quiet and light, with garden views filtering through the windows.
Stephen says the home works because it feels both practical and special.
A Home that has Grown with Them
Over the years, Valeri and Stephen’s log home has become more than a place to live. It has become part of the landscape of their family.
The gardens have matured around it. The trees have filled out. The pond, lawn, vegetable beds and seating areas all contribute to a sense of gentle abundance. From every angle, the home feels surrounded by life.
There is something especially inspiring about the way the project began during such an uncertain time and has grown into something so peaceful. In a period marked by distance and disruption, Valeri and Stephen created a place centred on closeness, family and the natural world.
“We never imagined quite how beautiful it would become,” Valeri says. “It has grown into something much more than a home.”
For Stephen, the feeling is simple.
“It’s our paradise,” he says. “We’re close to family, surrounded by the garden, and we have everything we need.”
