It took vision, lots of hard gra and a good deal of ingenuity to turn this rot-ravaged wreck into a desirable family home.
Fresh from a major renovation project (converting a former grain store and stables in rural Perthshire into a home), Martin and Louise McBride decided to relocate to Edinburgh to be closer to family. They made the move determined to take a break from self-building. Martin tries to explain just how all-consuming and rigorous the Perthshire experience had been: “To give you an analogy, I once ran a marathon, but I’ve since read a piece of advice in a running magazine that you should only run your next marathon when you’ve forgotten about the last one! That’s how I felt about taking on another big renovation.”
But the couple’s hopes of having an easier ride with a new property were quickly dashed. “It was ten years ago, during the boom, and we kept missing out on the houses we liked,” says Louise, who, alongside Martin, has since founded the Edinburgh-based architectural practice Urban Creatures. Their lack of success in the market meant they found themselves considering more radical and less desirable options.
“When we first went to view this property, the windows were boarded up. Our hearts sank. It had clearly lain derelict for a few years,” continues Louise.
Investigating the interior did little to raise their spirits: “I think it had been owned by an equity release company, who had done nothing to it, and it had really deteriorated. It had dry and wet rot and vermin. Some of the ceilings had collapsed and there were holes in the floor. There was also a toilet sitting in the middle of the hall. It was horrific!”
Denne historien er fra January-February 2017-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
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Denne historien er fra January-February 2017-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Escape BOATH HOUSE
An inspirational Georgian manor house in the north-east offers sanctuary to artists, poets and the curious of spirit
Escape THE LOOKOUT
Sun-drenched interiors, right on the beach - it's hard to believe this is Scotland
"It still feels like home. Just nicer"
The owners of this house in Edinburgh didn't intend to give it a complete makeover, but once they started they just couldn't stop
A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY
You need passion to persevere through a lengthy restoration project. Thankfully for this rambling old lodge in Highland Perthshire, its new owners were already head over heels
CLEAN AND POLISH
Ten years in the making, this one-time dental surgery in Portobello has been reshaped as an elegant, practical family home
MEET THE MAKER RACHEL MACLELLAN
You might think the process is purely creative, but designing knitted textiles requires a deep understanding of geometry and pattern calculations. It is intricate and often mathematical. I have learned that knitting demands a constant balance between artistry and engineering. Creating a new textile involves not only selecting colours and yarns but also considering the tensile strength, elasticity and drape of the material. That way, I ensure the final product is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. To me, this blend of creativity and technical precision is a fascinating aspect of knitted textile design.
IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES
It's all in the details for this slick and multifunctional entertainment space
JUST A HINT OF PINK
This family-orientated Georgian kitchen gets an upgrade in both footprint and finish
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Beauty and the best of Scotland on the shores of Loch Ness
LAURA THOMAS
The environmentalist has become a very successful entrepreneur whose products are stocked by Scotland's best hotels