The Marmite house
You will either love or hate this striking Art Deco property, writes Jenny Shields
THIS is a Marmite house. Quite simply, it is too bold and uncompromising to be anything else. You either covet it or do not like it one little bit. Whatever your view, one fact cannot be overlooked. This 1930s Art Deco house is precious because, in a world of conformity and faux design, it is a glorious original. More than that, its owners have celebrated its architectural legacy by carrying out a refurbishment that celebrates the fact.
Firbank, designed by William Malcolm Guild, stands on the edge of Cupar, with wonderful views over the Fife countryside to the Hill of Tarvit.
From the outside, it remains unchanged, a solid yet imposing house with the characteristic curved walls, flat roofs and geometric windows that define a 1930s property.
Inside, the owners have used a very light hand and the result is a bright, spacious home. They deserve special praise for the windows. It would have been all too easy to take the cheap option when they changed them – the house, surprisingly, is not listed – but instead they went to the considerable expense of installing double glazed windows of curved glass in the original style.
The result is a property that retains its integrity – whereas an inappropriate hand would have ruined the look of the place.
The property itself has a great layout, which is simple and practical. On the lower ground floor are all the sort of ‘extra’ rooms that people find they can only accommodate if they put up an extension.
Here there is a gym, a study, a large TV/family room, a couple of cloakrooms, boiler room and utility room.
On the ground floor is a kitchen, dining room, sitting room, sun room and a large terrace.
The first floor has the master bedroom with en suite shower room, three more double bedrooms, a bathroom and balcony.
Offers over £485,000 to Savills.