Back in 2007, a historic Stirlingshire estate of several hundred acres was put up for sale. It came with a house – not a grand Scots Baronial pile, such as you might have expected to find at such a stunning location, but a modest four-bedroom house built in the 1970s.
The new owners, William and Jayne, bought with the intention of demolishing it and replacing it with a house that would be a modern, comfortable family home, with a presence and stature more befitting of its surroundings.
The estate is no stranger to ostentatious mansions. A 60-bedroom manor house had been built here in 1890, but it was demolished in the 1960s. The new owners had no ambitions to emulate this kind of grandeur, though, preferring instead to build on a far more sustainable scale.
“We did have planning consent to build something larger,” says William, who has worked in the construction industry for more than 30 years. “But as our children grew up and began to leave home, we decided to go for a smaller house. We felt it was important that every room had a purpose. Why have eight or nine bedrooms if you’re not going to use them?”
Alastair MacIntyre of Glasgow architects McInnes Gardner worked with the couple to help them realise​ their vision for a contemporary home with a traditional appearance. The design that finally emerged was a modern mansion with a nod to the past. “It’s no pastiche, though,” insists MacIntyre. “It recalls the Scottish grand houses of the past in the Baronial style that is itself an evolution of the defensible castle and French Romantic tradition.
Denne historien er fra March - April 2020-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
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Denne historien er fra March - April 2020-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.
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Escape BOATH HOUSE
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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.
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