The Scotsman Magazine 28.06.2008 Interiors:

Space Aged
How a 17th Century steading became a contemporary family home without losing its handsome exterior. By Nichola Hunter

Over the last few years, conversions and refurbishments of farm steadings has become a popular past time for property developers. Done well, the results are stunning but in many cases what was once a charming farm cottage is now a soul-less shell. One exception is the home of the Campbell family in Braidwood in the Clyde Valley.

When Derek and Susan moved into the property in December 2004 they were under no illusions as to what they had taken on as Susan recalls: “It was a nice house and it definitely had potential but we knew we’d have to do a lot of work to it. It had been a farm originally but was now being sold as a house with stables.”

Stables is the important word here as financial consultant, Derek is also an incredibly keen and successful, amateur show jumper and accommodation for his horses was of paramount importance. A move to this farm steading was more than just a new home it offered the couple a complete change of lifestyle too.

“It was quite different for us,” Susan. “Our last house was very modern and Derek used to stable his horses elsewhere so having everything on our door step – it’s everything we’ve ever wanted. The property is big enough to accommodate everything that comes with the horses, we have the stables and there’s plenty of room for Blair to grow into as well.”

Baby Blair joined the family in 2006 and was another reason that the couple were looking to move, so that they could start a family. However, before this new, improved lifestyle could commence there was plenty of hard graft to be done.

The original layout of the house consisted of a kitchen, dining room, utility room, bathroom, lounge, conservatory, master bedroom with small en suite, and on the upper level a further two double bedrooms and bathroom. Set within approximately eight acres of land there was also a stable block and a variety of outbuildings.

As the Campbell's were planning to start a family when they moved in, their first consideration was how to include an additional bedroom on the ground floor as although they had two bedrooms upstairs as they were accessed by the spiral staircase, they weren’t exactly child friendly.

They decided therefore to convert one of the stables at the side of the property into what would become Blair’s bedroom and extend the small en suite off the master bedroom to make it a generous family bathroom and dressing room which could be accessed from Blair’s room on one side and the master bedroom on the other.

Before they did any of this however, the front courtyard had to be replaced. “It was a bit like a farmyard at the front of the house,” Derek remembers. “Firstly we had that monoblocked to make it a functional drive and so that we could stop trailing muck into the house. I’ll admit it’s not been an easy refurbishment. To do the driveway we had to build a retaining wall, when that was done we had to do the wrought iron fence. Every time I’ve started to do something, it’s led to something else. There was a lot of external work done too – replacing the roof ridges and repointing all the stone.

“After the outside was in order we did the extension and en suite then replaced the toilet up the stairs all at the same time. So, I thought while the place was in a mess we may as well do the kitchen!”

The kitchen was another major undertaking as the couple decided to knock through the existing dining room and kitchen into one large L-shaped, open plan, dining kitchen. They installed a contemporary, Palazzo kitchen with walnut units and granite work surfaces which they sourced from Country Style Kitchens.

“The kitchen is the biggest transformation,” says Derek. “It was a really old, traditional style before and this design just really works for us. We wanted something modern but that was also in keeping with this old building. It’s worked so well that a friend that lives nearby asked if they could copy it and they have – pretty exactly too! I think it’s a real compliment. We’ve added a few luxury extras too like the wine fridge – it is an entertaining house after all!”

The interior design of the property was important to the couple and they’ve worked hard to incorporate the character of this 17th century building whilst still making it a comfortable and practical family home.

“I think when people see the outside they expect it to be more traditional inside,” says Derek. “We’ve retained features such as the open fire in the lounge although we did change it from red brick to a more contemporary limestone but where possible we’ve tried to maintain the character of an older building but complemented with a modern interior.”

It was also opportune that one of the couple’s good friends was interior designer, Becki Linley of Trendenza and she was happy to be a sounding board for some of their ideas. “Derek and Susan have done so much to this house, they really took it back to basics and started again and they had their own ideas about how it should look, I just helped confirm some of them! This house was a real lifestyle change so it had to work with this new lifestyle – a family, horses and it’s very much an entertaining space as well, the new kitchen especially is geared towards that.”

Even with their fabulous new kitchen, the Campbell's weren’t quite finished yet. Derek embarked on designing a new stable block to house his three horses Leo, Ted and Dee and also an office so that he could continue to work from home but not in the house.

The original stables haven’t gone to waste either and asides from providing plenty of storage for the rest of Derek’s horsey paraphernalia they’re home to two year old Blair’s Shetland pony Punch.

Add the two chocolate Labrador Retrievers, Bailey and Benson and the family is now complete. After three years, almost continual work, the steading is almost finished. To an outsider’s eye, it is finished but one gets the impression that Susan and Derek will always find something to improve upon.

The conservatory being replaced with a sun room more in keeping with the original building is one discussion but also should another larger, similar property in the area become available they may be inclined to take on the challenge again.

A move may be on the cards…