WhatHouse? Awards 2016 winners – Octagon, Best Luxury House

It is unusual for developer not to win a WhatHouse? Awards every year, and 2016 proved no exception, with the company picking up Silver for Best Luxury House in respect of ‘High Ridge’, a 13,000 sq ft mansion in the commuter belt hotspot of Oxshott, Surrey.

Lord (William) Hague was the guest host to present the prize to the company at this, the 35th WhatHouse? Awards, held in front of an audience of 1,700 housebuilding industry figures at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Friday 18 November.

Octagon’s team was joined by the purchaser of this huge, prime home, which has been designed with no compromise to quality and with a high level of state-of-the-art technology inside and out. The house has five bedroom suites as well as an indoor swimming pool, dance floor and cinema room in addition to an outdoor tennis court and barbecue kitchen area.

Tim Banks, finance director for Octagon, says: “As the house we entered into the WhatHouse? Awards was part of Octagon’s growing Bespoke sector, we felt it important to invite along the owners of the home to the event as well, as they of course had a strong input into both the design and finished product of High Ridge.

“We were all thrilled with the Silver gong, and enjoyed a toast or two at the awards on Friday – the house is one of the first we’ve completed with so many high-tech elements, including the oversized den with a giant video wall, as well as the specially commissioned sprung dance floor that rolls across the swimming pool, creating a unique entertaining space for the owners.”

Of this impressive home, the Awards judges say: “Fresh, stylish and bright, Octagon’s… house has a clean-lined elegance for sophisticated entertaining. Twin flight marble staircases rise from either side of the reception hall as you step into the core of the property, where a sheer wall of glass to the dining room leads the eye through to the immaculate garden beyond.

“The 41ft master bedroom has two separate dressing rooms, two en suite bathrooms finished with book-matched marble, and bi-folding doors onto a sizeable roof terrace.

“Harnessed technology includes televisions disguised as mirrors, number plate recognition at the main gates, full AV and utilities control by app, and fingerprint entry to the pool suite. The lower ground floor has a further 2,000ft² of leisure space including a split-screen media wall, curved cocktail bar and cinema. This is grandeur with a remarkably light touch.”

Find out more about the WhatHouse? Awards 2016 here.