Handsome home with modern appeal

Sycamore House is a spacious detached home, which combines a smart contemporary look with a cosy traditional feel.

Built to an exceptionally high standard in 2001, Sycamore House is a stunning five bedroom detached house in Ruskington which has been cleverly designed to blend the charm of a period home with the modern proportions of a contemporary house.

Owners James McMillan and his wife Jennie moved here after relocating to Lincolnshire with their jobs and renting for a while before setting out on their search for a perfect residence. The couple say they knew Sycamore House would be an ideal home during their first viewing.

“We wanted to be in a village setting with all the major conveniences, but also with good transport links and not too far from Lincoln. Ruskington ticked all the boxes,” said James

“I went to see the house on my own first – it was a beautiful sunny day and I knew straight away that it was very different to the other houses we had looked at.

“It was the combination of the style, setting and size which really made it stand out. Jennie then came to see it a few days later in the pouring rain, but it still managed to make a very good impression!”

Sycamore House is tucked away in a secluded position on a generous privately positioned plot, which was once within the woodland grounds of the neighbouring rectory.

Constructed from reclaimed bricks in a period style, this beautiful residence enjoys the best of both worlds; classical elegance built to modern construction methods.

“We really love the fact that it is a modern home, but built to look more traditional. The property sits in the original grounds of the old rectory next door and is styled to be sympathetic to that building’s features by utilising distressed brick and common design features.

“This also means the garden is not only a great size, but features many mature trees, which is unusual for a modern house and to top it off, the centre of the village is less than five minutes’ walk away.”

Spacious interior
Inside, the accommodation includes a reception hall, lounge with a log burner, dual aspect dining room with an open fire, spacious open-plan breakfast kitchen and separate utility, home office, plus a further fifth bedroom with an ensuite on the second floor with an expansive play room or entertainment space.

James says there are many features both inside and outside the house which make it an ideal home, including the inside space and general proportions overall.

“Jennie and I are both tall and one of the first things we noticed was how spacious it felt in every single room.  Many of the other houses we looked at felt small and boxy so Sycamore House really stood out with its high ceilings and large rooms.”

Over the years the couple have gradually also put their own stamp on their home.

“When we first moved in, the entire house had been painted in a single neutral colour, so over the next couple of years we gradually decorated most of the rooms in the house. Our style is probably best described as ‘simple and uncluttered’, but each room has a different feel.

“Other than interior decorating, the first major change we made was to renovate the en-suite to the master bedroom. This involved a complete redesign and replacement of everything; having a big shower and our own individual sinks has been wonderful!”

James says his favourite room in the house is the lounge area.

“I love getting the wood-burner on and settling in there with either a good book or binge watching a favourite TV series, while Jennie’s favourite place is the master bedroom as she loves the light from the dual aspect and the view of the trees outside.”

Generous gardens
A gated access leads to a large sweeping pebbled driveway in front of the house, which is surrounded by traditional gardens with well-tended lawns and borders.

“Spending time outside is also important to us so the generous gardens have been lovely for pottering around in, and enjoying a glass or two in the sun. We also love the wider outdoors, so the double garage has been a great place to keep all the various bikes, kayaks and sporting equipment.

“Whoever originally designed the garden did a great job and we really haven’t changed much at all, other than adding a few rose bushes. We look after it ourselves and our favourite feature has to be the large copper beech, which you get a great view of from the living room and master bedroom.

“In 2022, we replaced the old conservatory with a new, modern garden room, which has made the space usable for much more of the year. It’s a perfect place to sit on sunny but cold spring and autumn days and read, have a coffee, or watch the wildlife in the garden.

“Although it’s just the two of us living in the house, we share the grounds with lots of wild birds, the occasional sparrowhawk and tawny owl, a couple of hedgehogs, and a few ducklings at this time of year!”

Making memories
James and Jennie say they have many memories of happy times spent in the house.

“I’ll always remember the five months of Covid furlough I spent at home in 2020. The weather was excellent, and I was so grateful to be able to spend so much time outside.

“We will both miss the garden very much. Whatever time of day, you can always find a sunny or shaded spot and we have spent many happy hours lying in a hammock reading a good book.”

The couple say the house would suit “anyone who wants the look and feel of an older house and mature gardens, but with the low maintenance of a modern one”.

“Ruskington is very well serviced for a village, with shops, cafés, pubs and a garden centre, but we can be out on quiet country lanes in every direction, running or on our bikes, within a couple of minutes.

“While we’ve been living here, Jennie spent a year working in central London and the ability to walk out of the house to the village train station and be in central London in two hours was fantastic. It was even better to do the return journey on a Friday afternoon and arrive back to the peace and tranquillity of Sycamore House.

“It’s been our first proper long-term home, and we have really enjoyed living in such a unique house.

“Now, our respective careers have moved away from the Lincolnshire area so we’re saying a reluctant goodbye to Sycamore House and will be moving up to North Yorkshire.”

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