Cullingworth home is secret hideaway! (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Cullingworth home is secret hideaway!

5:53pm Wednesday 15th June 2011

Many families have a garden shed at the bottom of their garden, but the Cain family has something a little different – a viaduct.

Jane Cain, her husband and son have lived with their unusual garden feature at Carriage Fold in Cullingworth for the past six years.

“We bought the house new when it was being used as a show house,” says Jane. “It was a complete blank canvas, magnolia throughout with neutral blinds and curtains.

“From the outside it looks very small, as you can only see two floors, but the moment we walked through the door it opened up and kept giving us large, bright rooms. The high specification of the property certainly impressed us.”

The house has been decorated throughout to what the couple think is a tasteful and homely standard. They also asked the builders to add the shower room to what is now the master bedroom, although this would be an excellent guest room.

On the lower ground floor is a spacious lounge opening on to the rear garden, a dining area and fitted kitchen with integrated appliances and utility room. The ground floor has the reception hall, cloakroom, WC and master bedroom with en-suite shower room, and there are three more bedrooms on the first floor, plus the family bathroom.

The house has an integral garage plus a driveway with parking space.

Jane is a keen gardener and most of her work has been in the back garden.

“The viaduct is such a feature, with the beck running underneath at the bottom of the garden. When we first arrived there was only turf and a basic patio,” she says.

“We put a second patio at the end of the garden. In the summer, once the sun goes off the main patio it emerges again at the top of the garden. This is a lovely spot to sit with a glass of wine as the sun goes down, listen to the water and watch the birds.

“I have planted carefully to include lots of evergreens so that the garden never looks bare. One of my favourites is the evergreen honeysuckle climbing up the dark stone of the viaduct – we now have blackbirds nesting there.

“The rockery at the top of the garden contains various evergreens in shades of green and yellow.

“I love my garden and feel it is an important part of our lives. It gets the sun all day, so we spend a lot of time out there.

“I love the room sizes. Usually with new-builds the bedrooms are small and boxy, but with this house even the fourth bedroom has a double bed.”

Jane adds: “Our favourite room is the whole of downstairs. You can look out at the garden whether you are sitting in the living room, at the dining table or washing the dishes in the kitchen.

“It is an incredibly sociable house. The open plan living space means you are constantly with friends when entertaining or able to keep an eye on the kids, even when they are playing in the garden. We sit and watch the birds and the cheeky squirrel that comes to visit.

“From the front of the house you can’t tell it is three-storey and we feel it is like our secret hideaway. Once we shut our front door and come downstairs, we feel safe and tucked away.

“It is a couple of minutes’ walk to Cullingworth Primary School, which means we are never late for school, and a ten-minute walk to Parkside School.

“The entrance to the Sustrans cycle path, which runs along the viaduct, is also round the corner. We run along there and it is perfect for the children to use their bikes.”

This property in Carriage Fold, Cullingworth, is on the market for £225,000 with Dacre, Son & Hartley, Bingley, tel (01274) 560421, web www.dacres.co.uk