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.
Bu hikaye Homes & Interiors Scotland dergisinin March - April 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Homes & Interiors Scotland dergisinin March - April 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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
