BSPC Feature Property - Property For Sale in the Scottish Borders
BSPC Property Guide FEATURE PROPERTY
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THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE / FEATURE PROPERTY Page 9 Inspired by the past, this one-off country house near Melrose was designed for the future The country house Kenny and Mandy Short designed and built in 2006 in a rural setting easily accessed off the A68 between Ancrum and Bewlie is quite unique, a visionary design that took its inspiration from a traditional steading building and merged it with modern technology and natural materials to make a spacious home with stunning views of the Eildon Hills. “Having bought the plot, which was just an empty field, we wanted to build a house for the rest of our lives but also one that would last for hundreds of years,” says Kenny. The couple designed the house with architects Aiken & Turnbull, having deliberated long and hard to ensure it incorporated everything they had ever wanted. But while space is the most obvious feature, it’s all usable space and not overly endowed with rooms to the extent that you need a map to find your way around. The house stands in similarly sizable but easily maintained gardens and includes an adjoining paddock of over an acre on one side, the latter with scope for stabling and grazing. Inside, the emphasis on natural materials - such as solid oak and limestone flooring (with under-floor heating on the ground floor), exposed stone walls, and a solid oak hand-crafted staircase – creates a visual link with the outside and imbues the house with a feeling of calmness and tranquility. The ground floor layout features a large dining hall – great use of a space that so often only serves as a through area – with double doors linking it to the breakfasting kitchen and galleried dining area on one side and sitting room and rear hall on the other side. Similar attention to detail has been given to the garden and garage, the latter a detached double size with matching stone facade, twin up and over doors and a toilet. A staircase leads up to a bonus space; a galleried games room with Velux roof windows on two sides, central heating, recessed lighting and ample power/media points. The gardens have been carefully planned to require minimal maintenance and maximum use, with seating areas, paved front and side patios incorporating an arched sun terrace. Beyond, a decked patio area houses an Arctic Spa hot tub (available by separate negotiation), while another decked patio accessible from the kitchen has a barbecue area. Planned and planted for the future, this is a young garden that will come into its own in time, while having an adjoining paddock offers great scope for keeping a horse or pony. This really is a house that has to be seen in order to be fully appreciated, not only for the size and scale of the property but also for the quality of the workmanship and materials used. “Everyone who worked on the house loved it, so much so they were always looking for ways to make it even better,” adds Kenny. Having built the house for the rest of their lives, the couple are now having to move for family reasons, which now gives someone else the opportunity to own a quite exceptional home in a delightful village setting within easy reach of Melrose. Off the rear hall is a fourth bedroom (currently a study) which, being close to a fully tiled wet room, makes it useful for guests, plus there’s a utility/laundry. The third bedroom is situated on a lower ground level, accessed by a short flight of stairs off the hall. With windows on two sides, oak flooring and double set of fitted wardrobes, it’s solo position would be good for a teenager or musician. Upstairs, the main living room is a stunning space with a solid oak floor and wall of windows on one side fitted with bi-fold slatted wooden shutters which, when open, reveal wonderful views of the countryside. Stairs continue up to the first floor landing, off which are two double bedrooms and a luxurious family bathroom. Situated at the far end, the main bedroom is exceptional, with double doors opening on to a covered balcony. It also has a walk-in wardrobe and extensive storage, while the second bedroom has twin built-in wardrobes. This house has many notable features – the ground floor living room has fabulous arched windows on either side of a central stone-finished chimney breast housing a multi-fuel stove; the kitchen, which has black limestone flooring, opens on to the rear patio and has light oak units with polished marble worktops, while a central island unit houses a double oven, seven -ring hob and breakfast bar area. Other appliances include a built-in American-style fridge freezer, integrated dishwasher, microwave and coffee machine. An oak staircase leads up to a fabulous galleried dining area with a glazed gable window framing views of the Eildon Hills. Karma Belses, Near Melrose Offers Over £625,000 Details on page 6
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PROPERTY FOR SALE - Karma, Belses, near Melrose - Offers Over £625,000. Inspired by the past, this one-off country house near Melrose was designed for the future.
Transcript of BSPC Property Guide FEATURE PROPERTY
THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE / FEATURE PROPERTY Page 9
Inspired by the past, this one-off country house
near Melrose was designed for the future
The country house Kenny and MandyShort designed and built in 2006 in a ruralsetting easily accessed off the A68between Ancrum and Bewlie is quiteunique, a visionary design that took its inspiration from a traditional steadingbuilding and merged it with moderntechnology and natural materials to make a spacious home with stunning views ofthe Eildon Hills.
“Having bought the plot, which was just an empty field, we wanted to build ahouse for the rest of our lives but also onethat would last for hundreds of years,”says Kenny.
The couple designed the house witharchitects Aiken & Turnbull, havingdeliberated long and hard to ensure itincorporated everything they had everwanted. But while space is the mostobvious feature, it’s all usable space andnot overly endowed with rooms to theextent that you need a map to find yourway around.
The house stands in similarly sizable buteasily maintained gardens and includes anadjoining paddock of over an acre on oneside, the latter with scope for stabling andgrazing. Inside, the emphasis on naturalmaterials - such as solid oak andlimestone flooring (with under-floor heatingon the ground floor), exposed stone walls,and a solid oak hand-crafted staircase –creates a visual link with the outside andimbues the house with a feeling ofcalmness and tranquility.
The ground floor layout features a largedining hall – great use of a space that sooften only serves as a through area – withdouble doors linking it to the breakfastingkitchen and galleried dining area on oneside and sitting room and rear hall on the other side.
Similar attention to detail has beengiven to the garden and garage, thelatter a detached double size withmatching stone facade, twin up andover doors and a toilet. A staircaseleads up to a bonus space; a galleriedgames room with Velux roof windowson two sides, central heating, recessedlighting and ample power/media points.
The gardens have been carefullyplanned to require minimal maintenanceand maximum use, with seating areas, paved front and side patiosincorporating an arched sun terrace.Beyond, a decked patio area houses an Arctic Spa hot tub (available byseparate negotiation), while anotherdecked patio accessible from thekitchen has a barbecue area. Plannedand planted for the future, this is ayoung garden that will come into itsown in time, while having an adjoiningpaddock offers great scope for keepinga horse or pony.
This really is a house that has to beseen in order to be fully appreciated,not only for the size and scale of theproperty but also for the quality ofthe workmanship and materials used.“Everyone who worked on the houseloved it, so much so they were alwayslooking for ways to make it even better,”adds Kenny.
Having built the house for the rest oftheir lives, the couple are now havingto move for family reasons, which nowgives someone else the opportunity to own a quite exceptional home in adelightful village setting within easyreach of Melrose.
Off the rear hall is a fourth bedroom(currently a study) which, being close to a fully tiled wet room, makes it useful for guests, plus there’s a utility/laundry. The third bedroom is situated on a lowerground level, accessed by a short flight ofstairs off the hall. With windows on twosides, oak flooring and double set of fittedwardrobes, it’s solo position would begood for a teenager or musician.
Upstairs, the main living room is a stunningspace with a solid oak floor and wall ofwindows on one side fitted with bi-foldslatted wooden shutters which, whenopen, reveal wonderful views of thecountryside.
Stairs continue up to the first floor landing,off which are two double bedrooms and aluxurious family bathroom. Situated at thefar end, the main bedroom is exceptional,with double doors opening on to a coveredbalcony. It also has a walk-in wardrobeand extensive storage, while the secondbedroom has twin built-in wardrobes.
This house has many notable features – the ground floor living room has fabulousarched windows on either side of a centralstone-finished chimney breast housing amulti-fuel stove; the kitchen, which hasblack limestone flooring, opens on to therear patio and has light oak units withpolished marble worktops, while a centralisland unit houses a double oven, seven-ring hob and breakfast bar area. Otherappliances include a built-in American-stylefridge freezer, integrated dishwasher,microwave and coffee machine. An oakstaircase leads up to a fabulous gallerieddining area with a glazed gable windowframing views of the Eildon Hills.
KarmaBelses, Near Melrose
Offers Over £625,000Details on page 6
