Re-Light My Fire

Mark and Rhonda Brunjes converted a disused fire station in an idyllic sailing village on the west coast of Scotland into a striking, Modernist retreat – here’s how they did it.

- Alison Gibb

The craggy shoreline of the Kyles of Bute in northwest Scotland is a firm favourite with sailors – and Mark and Rhonda Brunjes are no exception. The pair have been bringing their family to the small, Victorian seaside village of Tighnabruaich for years to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. ‘We come for the sailing, golf, tennis, beach days and walking – we just love it,’ says Mark.

Located just a one-and-a-half hour drive from their home in the West End of Glasgow, it provides a welcome respite from city life for them, along with their daughter Eva, 18, and Mark’s older children, Emma and Max. ‘The locals are so friendly and it is so peaceful here, you can really unscramble your brain,’ he says.

Mark knows the area well – he was a regular visitor as a child – as his parents also had a cottage in the village. So when the local fire station came up for sale in 2009 (following the building of a new station at nearby Kames), Mark was inspired to put in an offer: ‘It was just the perfect size for a small family home and enjoyed a great location in the centre of the village, with views to the south, overlooking the water.’ His initial bid was to prove unsuccessful, though: ‘The agents had 85 enquiries, there were 30 viewings and I am certain that everyone who viewed the property will have offered. It just totally caught everyone’s imagination.’