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Life sometimes throws us unexpected curves, and when it did for Chris and Deborah Burke, they responded with incredible thoughtfulness and a plan for a brighter future.
Following Chris's cancer diagnosis, this sensible couple took a step back to consider how life might change and what they could do to navigate it with love and strength. “It certainly shook us at first, but then we took stock,” Deborah explains. “Given the diagnosis, and with our daughter, her husband, and our two grandsons in a house with a hefty mortgage, we thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful, and so much nicer, if we could all live together?” A helpful suggestion from a builder friend sparked an idea. “He’d mentioned log cabins, so I did some research and then floated the idea to our daughter.”
Their thoughtful plan unfolded beautifully: “If they sold their house and we sold ours, we could pool the money and find a larger place in the Surrey town where our two grandsons were at school. The only real must-have was a garden big enough for a cabin.”
Deborah’s research led her to the Norwegian Log website, and a visit to their inviting show home in Reading sealed the deal. Meanwhile, the family found the perfect house with that all-important large garden. As soon as contracts were exchanged on the new property, the efficient team at Norwegian Log got straight to work applying for a Certificate of Lawful Use for Chris and Deborah’s annex.
“One of the things that really drew me to Norwegian Log was that they handled all the planning. Plus, we could design the layout of our log cabin exactly as we wanted it. It’s a truly beautiful product, and their attention to detail is just fantastic,” Deborah adds with genuine appreciation.
Local authority consent arrived in March, just a couple of months after the house sale, and by October, Chris and Deborah were settling into their stylish new log home.
“We absolutely love it! So many of our friends thought we were a bit mad, moving into what they imagined was a ‘shed’ in the garden. But when they saw it, and how our family is just at the end of the garden, they were all so impressed and thought it was awesome,” Deborah shares with a smile.
Now, life is filled with the simple joys of family being close. They happily dog-sit for their daughter, and vice versa, lend a hand with chores, share meals, and enjoy relaxing evenings with a glass of wine in the garden. “We’re not living on top of each other, but they’re enjoying having us here, and we’re really feeling the benefits,” Chris says warmly.
“This was truly about future-proofing our lives. It’s such easy living here. There’s hardly any maintenance, keeping it clean is a breeze. No painting needed, and it’s so wonderfully warm in the winter. Also, we give a 10 out of 10 to the Norwegian Log team who built it, and their aftercare is superb. Nothing is too much trouble – they’re a fabulous team,” he adds with enthusiasm.
When asked what advice they’d offer others considering a similar move, Deborah’s answer is clear: “Do it! We were determined not to have a poky granny annex, so make sure you don’t choose anything too small. You’ll only end up feeling resentful if your family is in a large house and you’re in something that feels like second best. We absolutely adore what we’ve chosen.”
Their cabin is a bright, spacious, and contemporary haven. A stunning open-plan kitchen and dining area, complete with bifold doors that invite the garden in, flows into an airy sitting room, also featuring bifold doors and a stylish wood burner. The generous master bedroom boasts an ensuite bathroom with a luxurious corner bath, and a separate double bedroom sits conveniently opposite a family shower room. There’s even a practical utility room tucked away off the main hallway. Thoughtfully designed for the future, doorways are wide enough for wheelchair access, the shower is easily accessible, and once the external landscaping and decking are complete, an external ramp from the garden will be added.
Looking around their beautiful space, Chris sums it up perfectly: “We are really content.”
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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