WHEN Fermanagh-born Paul Gilleece and his Norwegian wife Katrine found the view of their dreams on an elevated site above the shimmering blue Lough Ramor in Virginia, Co Cavan, all they had to do was build a beautiful home to go with it. The pair did just that. And now that they've just finished putting the final finishing touches to their stunning timber-frame, stone-clad build, they're upping sticks and moving to Norway, leaving the next lucky owner with an impressively sized 278sq m (3,000sq ft) home on a fiveacre plot for just 700,000.

Are they mad? They just might be.

"I'll be devastated to leave, " admits Paul, "although it hasn't hit home yet. At least we're moving abroad and not to somewhere else in Ireland . . .

that would have been harder to bear."

So why are they leaving after building what has been a real labour of love, with Paul giving up his weekends and evenings to work on the site?

"We've just had a baby and we've always said that we'd move to Norway at some point, near to Katrine's family. I guess that point has finally come, " says Paul.

The site on which their beautiful home stands really is impressive . . . a private plot hidden from public view, accessed by a long sweeping avenue, bounded by woodland to the rear and that stunning lake view to the front . . . and canny Paul did well to find it.

"It originally had planning for four dormer bungalows with services, but we applied for planning to build just one house so we'd keep the view and the land, " he says.

The house Paul designed and built with the help of architect Claire O'Neill O'Reilly is a simple A-frame structure in a mix of timber, stone and glass.

It is tailored and personal, a harmonious marriage of Scandi-style and Irish craftsmanship, yet entirely fitting in with the landscape. Not a single opportunity to peek at the views is wasted. "While we wanted a house that was different, we also didn't want something that stood out, " says Paul.

What's special about this place is the attention to detail and use of the best quality materials. No expense has been spared in getting the look just right. Paul, a carpenter by trade, did a lot of the work himself . . . he built the bookcases, the kitchen units, the dining table and designed the treads and handrail for the metal staircase in the hall . . .

sourced all the materials and project-managed the build while still doing his day job.

The interior is light-filled and open plan with generously sized, well-appointed rooms . . . hall, kitchen/dining room, gym, utility, laundry and guest bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor with a sitting room, three bedrooms, office, bathroom and sauna room on the top floor. The look is simple and stylish and not overly cluttered with furniture. "We wanted the house to be open and bright, not a warren of tiny rooms, " says Paul.

The hall is the first room that greets visitors and is entered via beautiful double wooden doors fitted with porthole windows. White walls and black tile flooring underfoot enhance this impressive space.

Beyond is the kitchen and dining room floored in beautiful oak . . . the real hub of the home. Paul's handiwork is evident in the sleek high-gloss, white kitchen which he designed and built himself.

The design follows the linear trend with units fitted with long pencil handles and topped with a mix of black Formica and dark teak worktops. Integrated Neff appliances enhance the streamlined look. As a contrast to the white units and to avoid a stark feel, the couple painted one feature wall a warm burnt orange.

The dining room is a step down from the kitchen and is home to a beautifully crafted, teak-topped dining table . . . perfect for entertaining. However, the star attraction in this space is the feature stone fireplace, made from the same local stone used on the outside of the building.

Upstairs, tucked underneath the high-pitched apex is the sitting room with stunning sunset views onto the lake, a bar and wood-burning stove. This room really is the highlight of the whole house.

And what makes it even more special is the adjoining cedarclad balcony which overhangs the kitchen. It's accessed via beautiful timber-framed sliding doors and has just enough room for a table and chairs on which to sit on and soak up the scenery.

But it's not just the views outside and inside that lend this house appeal. Paul has done his best to make the place as comfortable and liveable as possible. He's installed, zoned underfloor heating throughout the house and even put in 40mm of concrete screed in the floors upstairs to better retain the heat.

The house is also extremely well-insulated with more than the required amount of insulation in the floors and walls. Paul has Kingspan reflected insulation in the attic and Rockwool in the walls.

It's also low-maintenance.

The K-glass windows are framed with pressure-treated Scandinavian pine and he's even installed a central vacuum system on both levels so there's no lugging equipment up and down stairs.

All new owners would have to do is move in, and they've even got the option of buying the furniture, if they want.

The only requirement is a good pair of binoculars!

"This really was our dream home and we're sad to be leaving but I could just as easily build the same house again somewhere else, " says Paul.

"It might take a while to find the right site with those allimportant lake views though."

Price: 700,000 Agent: HOK Country 01-663 4354