News

15-year-old student Savio recently joined Deanfield Homes for work experience to find out about careers in housebuilding. The visit was part of a school initiative aimed at giving pupils a better understanding of the working world and to discover potential career paths for the future.

Savio is interested in property development and Deanfield Homes gave him the opportunity to spend time with its land, construction and commercial teams as well as visit a number of its developments.  Savio was able to get involved with architectural plans, the land acquisition process and also learnt about the importance of health and safety on a construction site.

He was also able to find out about the range of different roles that are available in the property sector, giving him plenty of ideas for a future career.

Savio commented: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Deanfield Homes working in a team and learning about the different areas of the business, from how land is negotiated to how homes are built and sold. It’s definitely made me consider a career in the sector.”

“As I take Business Studies in school, I was really excited to go behind the scenes and find out more about the company, how it’s run and what goes on within the property industry.”

But there’s another reason why Savio felt right at home at Deanfield – he has lived in one of its properties with his family for the last three years! Maybe he’ll be helping to build more Deanfield homes in the future.

Our gardens have evolved over time to become a natural extension of our homes and a valuable extra living space. Whether you are looking to host dinner parties for friends this summer, or just want a tranquil area to escape to after a long day, take a look at our ideas for outdoor living – they could make your garden the best room of the house.

Open Air Cinema

Keep both kids and adults entertained this summer by creating an outdoor cinema. There are a whole host of projectors and pop-up screens on the market that can quickly transform your patio or a corner of your garden into a personal screening of your favourite film. Surround the space with ambient lighting, chunky knit blankets and comfortable outdoor bean bags and sofas. Throw in some popcorn and you will soon have that magical open-air cinema vibe in the comfort of your own home.

Al-Fresco Dining

For those who love to entertain, a dedicated outside dining area is a must for BBQs and dinner parties this summer. Set a long dining table or corner sofa under a vine-woven pergola to create a cosy dedicated space. In larger gardens, go all-out with an outdoor kitchen, or for smaller gardens consider a portable wood-fired pizza oven to go alongside your barbecue.

Cosy Corner

Create your very own corner of the garden in which to relax, read a book or sip a cool drink on a warm summer’s evening. Gather round a firepit with marshmallows at the ready in a cosy patio area furnished with a stylish egg chair, swing seat and comfy outdoor sofa. Complete the look with plenty of soft cushions, textured throws and an outdoor rug. The perfect escape after a busy day.

Bar under the Stars

Make your garden the go-to spot for family and friends with your very own bar. Upcycle pallets or old furniture to create a chic bar set with stools or opt for a corner sofa and table set for a more relaxed vibe. Add colourful string lights and a portable outdoor speaker for that all-important mood music.

Hot Tub Lounging

Unwind in your very own spa by installing a hot tub in your garden.  Add a hot tub shelter for all year round use and privacy and add design character through string lights, colourful tiles and those all-important hanging spaces for towels and robes. Think about growing climbing plants such as jasmine to soften the area and provide incredible scent.

For more design tips and regular inspiration on how to decorate your home and garden, follow us on Instagram @deanfield_homes_ltd

When it comes to interior design, a sophisticated neutral scheme never goes out of fashion.
Avoiding the use of bright colours in your home can help create a light, calm and relaxing
environment which is easy to update. And a neutral scheme is anything but boring; there
are thousands of different shades to choose from, creating the perfect backdrop for bold
ironmongery, adventurous patterns, interesting artwork and natural fabrics.

At our Deanfield Park development in Ickford, our interior designers Lifestyle Interiors have
created a beautiful family home with a neutral palette, full of sophistication and character.
We caught up with their design team to get some top tips on how to create a show-stopping
neutral scheme in your own home.

1. Tone-up
Open-up any paint sample book and you’ll soon appreciate just how many neutral shades
there are available! Choose from classic monochromes and cool greys to warm tones of
beige and brown. Opting for the same light shade for the walls in every room will ensure a
cohesive flow throughout the house and help create a feeling of space. Add warmer accent
colours through upholstery and furniture along with stronger shades of navy, black and
charcoal through cushions, lampshades or prints.

2. The Light Fantastic
It’s important to consider the light in your home when deciding on your neutral colour
scheme. If you're decorating a dark, north-facing room or a room that doesn't get much
natural light, warmer tones work best. If you’re lucky enough to have a light-filled, south-
facing room you can opt for just about any colour, but cooler shades will work really well
against the sun's natural warmth.

3. Layer those textures
The secret to adding interest to a neutral look is to layer different textures in your home
through accessories, furniture and finishes. Natural stone such as granite can be visually
stunning and brass, bronze, natural wood and boucle fabrics all look fantastic with neutral
colour tones. Crisp fresh linens are perfect in summer, whilst plush velvets or a chunky knit
throw help create a cosier look in the autumn and winter.

4. Have fun with accessories
A home isn’t complete without personal accessories and finishing touches, so fill your rooms
with unique pieces, collectables and souvenirs for that individual look. A neutral backdrop
means you can really go to town with ornaments like natural stone or ceramics, feature
printed wallpaper, striking black and white family photos or a stand-out piece of artwork.

5. Make a statement
Statement furniture can really lift a neutral scheme. Go bold with dark wood furniture or
pieces painted in rich navy or deep charcoal. Add a signature mirror, plush dining room
chairs or an oversized sofa for real impact. Upstairs, you might want to keep the master
bedroom a tranquil escape, but go to town in the kids’ bedrooms with a character theme to
suit their passions.

For more interior design tips and inspiration from our professionally designed showhomes,
follow our Instagram @deanfield_homes_ltd.

Deanfield Homes has been given the green light for a new collection of character properties in the picturesque village of East Hagbourne. South Oxfordshire District Council has granted reserved matters planning permission for a new development of 74 homes, all traditional in design, in keeping with the development’s rural location.

Deanfield Green will feature a range of two to five-bedroom high quality private homes with a superior specification, set amongst public open space, a children’s play area and links to pedestrian and cycle routes. The new development will also benefit the local community by providing an extension to the existing village hall car park and the gifting of around two acres of school playing fields to Oxfordshire County Council to secure the use of this space for local people in perpetuity.

East Hagbourne, situated just a mile south of Didcot and 11 miles south of Oxford, is an aspirational place to live featuring period properties, listed buildings and a strong sense of community. The village has a shop, a village hall, a community pavilion, Hagbourne C of E Primary School and St Andrew’s Church, which dates back to the 11^th century. Ideal for commuters, the development offers easy access to the A34 and the region’s motorway networks beyond, whilst Didcot Parkway train station provides direct services into London Paddington in less than 45 minutes.

Peter Blades, Managing Director of Deanfield Homes, comments: “We are delighted to be consolidating our strong track record in Oxfordshire with another high-quality development in a prime village location. East Hagbourne offers purchasers a peaceful rural setting with good local amenities whilst still within easy reach of Oxford and everything this historic city has to offer.

“We are expecting Deanfield Green to be popular with first time buyers, young families and those seeking their next step on the property ladder and would urge anyone interested to register now ahead of the first release of homes which is expected to be in Autumn 2022.

Deanfield Homes is an experienced housebuilder specialising in small to medium developments in rural village locations. It has a completed a number of successful sites across the region and is currently building new homes at its Deanfield Park development in Ickford, Buckinghamshire and Deanfields in Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire.

Deanfield Homes has officially launched its showhome at Deanfield Park in Ickford, providing house hunters with interior design inspiration and the opportunity to see first-hand the quality of properties on this delightful development. 

This traditional collection of two, three and four bedroom homes, set on the outskirts of this aspirational village, has been sensitively designed to incorporate green open space, a children’s play area and views over open countryside. 

The professionally-designed Fitzroy is a showcase of the spacious layout and superior finish of homes at Deanfield Park. Typical of the larger family homes on the development, it offers a light and spacious kitchen/dining room, a living room with a feature fireplace and French doors leading to the patio and rear garden. A further reception room can be used as a formal dining room or a TV/family room and the downstairs also benefits from a study and separate utility room. Upstairs, there are four spacious double bedrooms, two of which have ensuite bathrooms, as well as a family bathroom. 

Homes at Deanfield Park feature a superior specification, including quality branded kitchens, bathrooms and appliances, underfloor heating to the ground floor, fitted carpets throughout and built-in wardrobes. All homes have either a garage, car port or off-road parking, with electric vehicle charging points provided for all properties.

Interior designers Lifestyle Interiors styled the four-bedroom detached showhome to create a stylish yet practical family home. A classic neutral colour palette of soft caramel tones is combined with the use of brass, wood and white marble. Tone and depth were added throughout with rich fabrics, striking artwork and accent cushions. The two children’s bedrooms are full of character, with one having a fairy-tale mermaid theme and the other being designed for a music buff, complete with drumkit side tables. 

Annette Gaskell, sales and marketing manager at Deanfield Homes, comments: “We are delighted to open the Fitzroy showhome to the public. We had an incredible response over the launch weekend and have now sold or reserved over 60% of homes on the development.  

“Ickford really is the perfect place to call home, with local facilities within walking distance, including an Outstanding-rated primary school, idyllic countryside on the doorstep and easy access to the M40. It’s little surprise that homes here have been snapped up and we’d urge interested house hunters to visit the marketing suite as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.” 

Currently available at Deanfield Park is a range of two, three and four bedroom homes priced from £390,000. For further information, visit the marketing suite which is open Thursday to Monday 10am until 5pm, go to www.deanfieldhomes.co.uk or call 01844 395 049.

Housebuilder Deanfield Homes has relocated its head office to Kingsmead Business Park in High Wycombe as it looks to scale-up its business over the next few years. 

The new office is now home to 25 employees and provides open-plan, flexible workspace to encourage collaboration across multiple teams. The location of the new headquarters offers easy access to the M40 and M25 and is central to Deanfield Homes’ operating patch which spans Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire. 

The move into the new office comes as the company celebrates its fifth anniversary. Over that time, Deanfield Homes has built a reputation for constructing high quality homes in aspirational village locations. It now aims to grow its business to deliver at least 150 homes per year within the next three years whilst still delivering a quality product and service. It is now actively looking for land opportunities across its target region to fuel its growth plans. 

Peter Blades, founder and managing director, comments: “Moving into new, larger offices is a real milestone for Deanfield Homes and a key step in delivering on our expansion plans over the next few years.  We are still offering our teams the option of hybrid working but wanted to invest in a light and modern office space to enable our team to come together to be collaborative and innovative at this key stage of our growth.”

Deanfield Homes’ current selling developments include sites in the Buckinghamshire villages of Ickford and Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire. It also has forthcoming sites in East Hagbourne, Oxfordshire, Bledlow and Little Kimble in Buckinghamshire and Hermitage in Berkshire.

Homebuyers have been quick to secure their perfect home at ‘Deanfields’, a collection of new homes just released in the Oxfordshire village of Stanton Harcourt. Over 60% of properties have been reserved since Deanfield Homes launched this exceptional development in March. 

‘Deanfields’ is a collection of 40 traditionally-designed homes set on an 11-acre site, surrounded by picturesque countryside. The first properties released include a collection of three, four and five bedroom designs ranging from £525,000 to £895,000. 

Deanfields combines modern, energy-efficient homes with the character you’d expect to find in such a historic village location. All offer spacious and practical living including a living room, kitchen/dining room, utility room, downstairs cloakroom, ensuite main bedroom and garage. Larger properties also include additional living space such as a separate study and TV room. All homes also include underfloor heating to the ground floor and electric vehicle charging points.  

With initial interest so high, Deanfield is urging homebuyers considering a move to Stanton Harcourt to visit the marketing suite as soon as possible.

Annette Gaskell, sales and marketing manager, comments:

“Stanton Harcourt is a charming village which offers a range of local amenities and is extremely well connected. Deanfield Homes is an award-winning developer with a track record in sensitive development in rural locations across Oxfordshire. We’re delighted to have launched our latest site in Stanton Harcourt and, with more than half of the homes already reserved, we would urge interested buyers to move quickly to avoid missing out.”

Stanton Harcourt has no shortage of beautiful views and local countryside walks. The village has a cricket club, community pub, village shop with post office, a village hall and St Michael’s Church which dates back to the Norman era. The village is also home to Stanton Harcourt C of E Primary School, and further education is available in nearby Eynsham and Witney, both less than six miles away from the development.

Within easy reach of Oxford, Stanton Harcourt is ideal for commuters with easy access to the A40, A34, M40 and M4. The mainline railway station at Long Hanborough, just seven miles away, offers regular and direct services to London Paddington.

The marketing suite at Deanfields is open Fridays & Saturdays 10am – 5pm. For further information and to book an appointment, call 01865 800976 or visit  www.deanfieldhomes.co.uk/deanfields/ 

Regional housebuilder Deanfield Homes is expanding its presence into Berkshire with a collection of character properties in the village of Hermitage. Deanfield already has an impressive track record in sensitive development in rural locations with successful sites across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Deanfield Gardens will feature 16 traditionally-designed homes set amongst green open space, with 10 detached private homes and six properties allocated for affordable housing. Contributions will also be made towards local facilities and services. Construction work is expected to start in the summer

Hermitage is a popular village, located on the edge of the Berkshire Downs within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It boasts a good range of local facilities including shops, a post office, two good pubs, a village hall and a garden centre. Hermitage Primary School serves the village, whilst secondary education includes The Downs School in nearby Compton which is rated Outstanding by OFSTED.

Hermitage is just five miles from Newbury. Ideal for commuters, its location offers quick and easy access onto the M4 and there are direct rail services from Newbury to London Paddington in less than an hour.

Andrew Harvey, land director at Deanfield Homes, comments: “We’re delighted to have acquired our first site in Berkshire. Hermitage is an aspirational village with a good range of facilities and a close-knit community. Our Deanfield Gardens development takes inspiration from the local area to offer traditionally-designed homes with all the benefits of buying new.”

A home in a rural location cries out for a classic country garden, but what if you’re buying a new property and are starting with a blank canvas? Fear not, that classic cottage look doesn’t need decades to perfect. In fact, with some clever design, the right planting and some imagination, it’s easy to create a quintessential country space. Here’s some advice and tips to get you started:

1. Making a Plan

Start by creating a scale drawing of your garden and then allocate different areas depending on how you will use the space. Think about borders, outdoor seating and dining, play areas or even a vegetable patch. Country gardens are relaxed and informal with generous planting, secluded areas and character features. Break up your space with softly winding paths in brick, gravel or grass, natural screening and plant-draped arches and pergolas.

Consider the shape of your garden, taking into consideration any dead or awkward spaces, as well as the view from different rooms in the house. Think about the most appropriate place for different areas, for example a herb garden near the kitchen, wildlife areas away from the house and areas for flower beds with the right amount of sun and shade for your chosen plants.

2. Creating the cottage garden look

Forget about structured planting and carefully manicured borders, the key to a country garden is to fill your borders with an informal and wide range of plants and flowers which provide an array of fragrance and colour.

Keep your planting tightly packed and layer your borders, with taller plants to the rear and lower plants to the front. Plant the same species in groups of three or five to create real impact and soften fences and other boundaries with climbing plants such as wisteria, roses and jasmine.

Opt for natural materials such as reclaimed railway sleepers, willow screens, wicker furniture and wooden planters.

3. Choosing the right plants

Popular cottage garden plants include roses, delphiniums, foxgloves, lupins and lavender. Others that epitomise the cottage garden feel include hollyhocks, phlox, cosmos, peonies and sweet peas. You could also incorporate a wildflower area into your garden or a raised bed of wildflowers if you are short on space.

Consider fruit trees such as pear, cherry and damson, for both beautiful spring blossom and summer produce. Make sure you select plants with a mix of different heights, colours, textures and flowering times. Choose hardy perennials and self-seeding plants such as foxgloves and verbenas to ensure you fill your borders year after year.

4. Incorporating character features

Create interest in your garden with ornaments such as a traditional bench, stone bird bath or sundial. Get imaginative with planting by upcycling wheelbarrows, wooden boxes, terracotta pots or even an old Belfast sink. Consider incorporating partially-hidden features amongst your flowers including small statues and stone finials.

A fire pit or chiminea will create a cosy focus point for an outdoor seating or dining area and a water feature is the perfect calming addition to your country garden.

5. Encouraging Wildlife

A rich country garden will be a natural haven for birds, animals and insects, but there are easy ways to help encourage wildlife into your outdoor space.

Aim for nectar and pollen-rich varieties of plants that provide natural food for insects, such as jasmine, lavender, clematis and wisteria, and install a bird box or feeder. If you have the space, a small pond is a fantastic way of attracting frogs, newts and dragonflies. A bird bath is the perfect alternative for smaller gardens. Create natural habitats such as areas of dead and decaying wood where insects and worms can find food and shelter.

Finally avoid using chemicals in your garden. Instead opt for peat-free compost and, if you can, source plants that have been grown in peat-free varieties.