Pye Homes embraces eco-conscious family living for its sustainable Oxfordshire communities

At Church Farm, award-winning interior design studio Rasalo has created a homely feel to our three-bedroom show home by using natural textures and sustainably sourced items. Studio Lawson, an interior design studio with a planet-first approach, has styled Temple Gate’s latest four-bedroom show home with upcycled furniture pieces and accessories thrifted from local businesses.

Graham Flint, our Managing Director, comments:

“It’s our mission to leave a positive and lasting impact on the communities in which we deliver homes, and this includes the natural environment. Pye Homes’ new neighbourhoods differ to what you would typically see on a new homes development.”

By incorporating these interior design elements we hope to inspire buyers and visitors to shop locally, support the community and make more environmentally conscious decisions. Read on to discover the creative process behind our homes…

Church Farm

Our show home at Church Farm in Radley was designed by Warwickshire-based interior designers Rasalo. Lead designer for the project, Rachel Nacer, comments:

“From the outset, we took into consideration Pye Homes’ ethos for creating sustainable new communities. We really wanted to create a home which would not only be more environmentally friendly, but was achievable for the future family that lives there. We also wanted it to feel lived-in, as opposed to a standard newly built home where everything is typically bought new.”

To furnish the home, we collated natural materials and locally sourced pieces to be upcycled. We worked with Betel Restored Furniture; this charitable business helps rehabilitate people by facilitating antique restoration workshops and selling the furniture in its non-profit stores. They helped us with upcycling furniture, painting and refinishing pieces to use in the home. The living room, for example, features an old cabinet and writing desk which we brought back to life.”

For us, it was essential that the accessories sourced for the homes were obtained locally to inspire future buyers. Shops included Yarnton Home & Garden and Wells Farm Shop at Peach Croft Farm. Standout features of the property include an Alice in Wonderland-themed child’s bedroom, adorned with an antique wardrobe, whilst hand-painted hedgehogs on the walls are designed to reflect Radley’s wider rural setting.

Rachel concludes: “We are increasingly seeing a shift to people being more eco-conscious in their everyday living. As the demand for upcycled furniture increases, we are witnessing generations passing down furniture, which is a really nice congruence of sentimentality and making decisions that will be better for the planet. We always recommend the buy-once-and-buy-well approach as opposed to cheaper products which may not be as long lasting.”

Our Radley show home comprises a spacious three-bedroom property with an open plan kitchen/dining room and a separate, spacious, living room, perfect for families. The ground floor also features an expansive open-plan kitchen which includes integrated appliances and contemporary vintage-style tiles. The kitchen has French doors leading onto a secluded rear garden. Upstairs you will find a large main bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, alongside two well-proportioned bedrooms and family bathroom.

Church Farm will comprise 240 sustainable two, three and four-bedroom houses, as well as one and two-bedroom apartments. Significant for our eco-friendly credentials, our homes have a high EPC rating, feature solar panels and air source heat pumps, and are equipped to have EV charging points installed. Church Farm has a higher-than-average biodiversity net gain and features natural landscaping, including wildflower meadows and an attenuation pond, to encourage wildlife.

Church Farm is just an eight-minute walk from the village centre which is home to a community shop, village hall and a traditional country pub. What’s more, there is also a primary school just a two-minute walk from the development.

Discover the latest collection of homes.

Temple Gate

Sophie Howard is the Creative Director at Studio Lawson, who led the design for our Temple Gate show home. Sophie Howard says of the project:

“I was so excited when Pye Homes approached me to design their show home. Whilst sustainability was at the forefront of the creative process, accessibility was also key. Given that family life is often busy, we wanted to demonstrate simple yet effective ways to make better decisions for the planet that buyers can easily replicate in their new home.”

The creative vision for the property centred around upcycled and affordable furniture pieces. Sophie recalls: “I upcycled two chests of drawers in both the children’s bedroom and the teenager’s bedroom, which I modernised with fun paintwork. These colours then informed what accessories and corresponding furniture pieces I paired with them. I wanted to encourage visitors to think about how they can improve what they already own to match their new home, as opposed to simply replacing items.”

Our show home was also inspired by the local surroundings. Many accessories were either obtained from second-hand shops, and independent artists or artisans around Marcham and its nearby towns and villages. This included coffee coasters, washing up utensils and home office equipment for homely, personal touches.

Sophie continues:

“It was great to have Pye Homes so on board with this project. As an industry, the private residential sector certainly has a long way to go when it comes to sustainable design so it’s great to have a homebuilder taking positive steps in the right direction. If we can encourage people to think about sustainability at the beginning of their home buying journey, then I’m confident this will extend into their everyday lives.”

Our featured home comprises a spacious four-bedroom detached property with a versatile living layout that is well-suited to families. The entrance hallway on the ground floor leads into a study at the front of the property, which can easily be transformed into a cosy snug or playroom for young children, and the separate formal living room offers a bright and calm environment away from the rest of the home. The ground floor also features an expansive kitchen with an open plan dining/family room with access into the rear garden. A utility and downstairs WC is also featured.

Upstairs comprises four double bedrooms, two of which feature an en-suite shower room, and the main bedroom has its own walk-in wardrobes. Ample storage space is provided, along with a family bathroom.

The energy-saving specification includes low-energy lighting throughout, premium wall insulation and the ability to install a car charging point. The home benefits from a high-quality open plan kitchen/living area with fully integrated appliances, including a built-in double oven. The home has underfloor heating on the ground floor and stylish floor and wall tiles in both the kitchen and the bathrooms, which also feature modern white sanitaryware.

Temple Gate is a collection of two, three and four-bedroom homes, ideally situated on the edge of Marcham village, within 10 minutes’ walking distance of a local shop, community centre and primary school. The historic market town of Abingdon-on-Thames is a 15-minute cycle away, and the same travel time by car could take you to Oxford. Connections to Reading and London Paddington are easily accessible from Radley Station, a convenient 15-minute drive away.

To find out more about the homes available at Temple Gate, contact the Customer Hosts on 01235 639500 or visit the development page.