ARGYLL OAK FRAME
AMANDA MARKHAM AND RODERICK JAMES CREATED A HIGHLAND ESCAPE THAT MAKES THE MOST OF THE STUNNING SURROUNDINGS
The owners of this open-plan house designed it with two verandahs to make the most of the views
‘The secluded setting. We have planted a vineyard behind the house and, who knows, we might make our own wine one day’ What we love most about living here…
AmandaMarkham and her husband Roderick James love houses and designing them. This is hardly surprising given their careers as an interior designer and architect, respectively. But what surprised the couple – as they travelled hundreds of miles north for work – was how much they fell in love with this remote corner of Scotland and how quickly they were able to call it home.
A chance commission first brought the pair to the hamlet overlooking the Isle of Mull. ‘Roderick was asked to design a house for the former owner of the Drimnin Estate so we came up to do a recce and completely fell in love with the area,’ says Amanda. As luck would have it, their client had retained a waterside section of the estate he once owned. ‘Since we had designed a new retirement bolt-hole for them, they no longer needed the plot and sold it to us. We couldn’t believe our luck,’ Amanda says.
Amanda and Roderick initially built a small house on the plot and then travelled up on the sleeper train to spend weekends and holidays here. However, it soon became clear that they were going to be spending far more time here than in Totnes, where Roderick’s architectural practice was based. ‘Family and friends loved it here, and were coming to stay for longer and longer periods,’ says Amanda. ‘The house just wasn’t big enough so we decided to build a larger home on the upper part of the plot. The original house is now extra accommodation for our guests.’
The new house was built using the oak framing approach for which Roderick’s practice has become well known. What sets this house apart is the fact that it is built as a model that can be easily extended. Called the ‘Evolution House’, it’s based around a central core, which allows for extensions to suit the owners’ needs.
‘We designed this house to provide a large open studio work space for both of us, together with three bedrooms for the family,’ Amanda says. The house is open plan, with the bedrooms leading off the living room. There are no corridors and, therefore, no space is wasted. A partial glass roof creates a sunny daylight ‘conservatory’, which is part of the living room, and a woodburning stove provides a cosy corner when needed. The two verandahs are perfect for breakfast or drinks, and each commands lovely views over the south lawns and down the Sound of Mull to Salen.
The understated style of the house is complemented by Amanda’s decoration and her choice of accessories. ‘Most of the furniture came from both of our previous houses, which created a familiar, rather casual feel,’ she says. ‘I’ve enjoyed the subtlety of combining beachhouse style with antique furniture.’ Everything has been carefully thought out but feels quite natural. ‘We love others to experience the house, too, so it’s now available on Airbnb,’ says Amanda.
Though this is now their main home, Amanda and Roderick commute between here and their barge on the Thames in London. ‘Living here couldn’t be more different,’ says Amanda. ‘The two homes are a world apart but wonderfully complementary.’
‘The atmosphere is always so cosy, and we love the natural setting’ What makes this house a home…