Freedom by desıgn

Rose and Mark Morgan have self-built a wheelchair-friendly home that caters for the needs of their whole family

- Alexandra Pratt

HOMEOWNERS Rose and Mark Morgan, with their four children

LOCATION North Cornwall

PROJECT Five-bed dormer bungalow self-build

SIZE 180m2

BUILD ROUTE Main contractor

CONSTRUCTION Masonry

BUILD TIME 10 months

BUILD COST £456,000

WORDS Alexandra Pratt

PHOTOGRAPHY Simon Burt

Located in the sublime setting of North Cornwall is Rose and Mark Morgan’s family home. “We wanted and needed a property that works for our daughter, who uses a power wheelchair,” says Rose, who also has three sons. “Few homes actually work well for wheelchairs, and we wanted our daughter to be free to go everywhere without ramps or needing help. We also needed a property that could give the boys their freedom.” The logical solution was to self-build, replacing a tired 1950s bungalow situated just 500m from the beach.

“Cornwall is so amazingly beautiful at all times of the year, whether it’s a sunny day in summer, or a howling gale in December,” says Rose. The pair looked at almost 30 properties before a local builder tipped them offabout a run-down bungalow. “We just fell in love with this site. It’s tucked away, and you feel very secluded and calm, yet you can hear the sea.”

A FRESH START