Gaucín: a taste of the ‘champagne’ lifestyle in the mountains

This contemporary, four-bedroom home has a huge, elevated plot with jaw-dropping panoramic views of the countryside and the coast, indoor and outdoor pools, and a lovely warm and welcoming feel.

John and Jane, the owners of this captivating country house located high in the hills near to Gaucín, originally bought the plot on which it stands back in 2002. Inspired by the breathtaking views the property possesses, stretching as far as the Strait of Gibraltar and the Moroccan coast, as well as overlooking the verdant Genal valley inland, their vision was to create a comfortable, modern residence in an unspoiled rural setting.

“We started building in 2007,” John recalls. “Planning laws were constantly tightening, so we decided to build. Thank goodness we did, because it’s now nigh on impossible to get planning permission for non-urban homes. What will happen is that, as country houses are sold, new properties are not being built and prices will rise.”

La Dehesa brings together all the benefits “of the campo: privacy, views, and lifestyle,” John notes, with what he, perhaps modestly, refers to as, “a striking, contemporary design.”

On the entrance level, it has a large, designer island kitchen and formal dining room, with picture windows to the dining terrace and outdoor pool area, leading to a soaring, light-filled living space, with fireplace and full-height glazing to make sure you see all the view from wherever you stand.

“We were insistent on a light, airy house,” he continues. “We wanted to maximise the view and a glass living room seemed to fit the bill. It is our favourite space, with the drama of the views from the double-height, three-sided, glazed walls,” John explains.

Upstairs is a gallery mezzanine with space for an office and two spacious bedrooms with private dressing and bathrooms, while the other two double bedroom suites are on the garden level. All the levels are accessed by lift and the property has air-conditioning, underfloor heating, and a domotic control system throughout.

Outside, the property stands in beautifully maintained gardens with a large pool, covered dining area, and gazebo, complete with bar, refrigerator and hot plate: “The poolside bar works very well for entertaining and is a space we use a lot in the summer,” John smiles.

John and Jane own another property in Gaucín, also for sale with Terra Meridiana, but, for health reasons, they have reluctantly decided to sell at least one: “But we have no plans to leave the area,” John insists. “Apart from the natural, year-round beauty of the place, you can enjoy the ‘champagne air’ of the mountains.”

Gaucín is one of the few south-facing ‘pueblos blancos’ and is just 45 minutes away from the beaches of the Costa del Sol and many of the area’s best golf courses. It is also home to a large, diverse group of overseas residents of every nationality. For the couple, it is undoubtedly the people that make living in Gaucín special: “It has a truly friendly community that you just do not find these days,” John concludes.

By Adam Neale | Property News | May 4th, 2015

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