The Herald - The Herald Magazine
NATURAL WONDER
LIVE THE GOOD LIFE GUILT-FREE WITH THIS IMPRESSIVELY ECOFRIENDLY PERTHSHIRE PROPERTY
THE gorgeous, warm oak and contemporary design which make Rowangarth stand out are not the only impressive properties of this Perthshire home.
Its eco credentials are fantastic, from biomass heating and solar panels to double and triple glazing and superb insulation made from wood fibre and recycled paper.
“We were keen to create a house that was as energy efficient as possible, using natural materials and local builders where we could,”
says current owner Diana Watson.
“It is built from Scottish oak, the cladding is made from Scottish larch and the roof includes reclaimed slate – it was our very own eco-project from the start.”
With its natural clay plastered walls, limestone and oak floors, woodburner and that magnificent oak frame, Rowangarth exudes warmth.
“Cosy is what we were going for, and I think that’s what we achieved,”
smiles Diana, adding with a laugh: “The oak really appeals to people – it has such a tactile quality and we have had visitors who just want to hug a post….”
Diana and her husband Murray embarked upon the self-build project in 2012, finally moving in two years later.
“We had looked for a long time to find a plot – some of the good ones tended to be in quite remote locations, which did not appeal to us,” she says.
“This is a fantastic location, and we have the best of both worlds. We have neighbours – there are five self-builds in this area – so it’s not completely remote, but it’s surrounded by beautiful scenery and has lovely views.”
Rowangarth is located in Donavourd, a small hillside development a couple of miles from Pitlochry. The hill road to Pitlochry takes in the picturesque 19th century Edradour distillery as well as the village of Moulin, with its heritage centre and popular local bar and hotel, and the town itself has a great range of shops, leisure facilities and schools.
The views are incredible, as Diana points out, stretching over the countryside to Ben Vrackie and across the Tummel Valley.
The front door opens into a beautiful dining hall, with a limestone floor, which also runs through to the kitchen, and a large square bay window looking over the front garden.
“A dining hall sounds very grand, but we just liked the idea of a more open space between the kitchen and living areas, rather than a separate formal dining room,” says Diana. “It’s a great space for entertaining.”
The stylish sitting room has a wood-burning stove and engineered oak floor, while the kitchen is bright and contemporary, with glossy cream units, a cream Corian work surface and a range of integrated Miele and Siemens appliances.
There is a curved breakfast bar here too, with a round table for eating informally, as well as plenty of space for comfortable seating. Sliding doors open on to the terrace.
The utility room, which has a back door to the garden, is fitted with units and houses the controls for the heating, solar panels and the heat recovery system.
A guest bedroom with double doors to the garden, a shower room beside it and useful storage complete the ground floor.
An oak staircase with glass balustrading rises to the fabulous landing, complete with vaulted cathedral-style ceiling.
This peaceful spot is one of Diana’s favourite places in the house.
“The views of the night sky are stunning,” she says. “On a clear night, this is an amazing place to sit and relax.”
This floor also includes a master bedroom suite, complete with a dressing room and an en suite bathroom with a separate shower, a second bedroom with an en suite shower room and a lovely view, and two remaining double bedrooms, which also have great views. These two bedrooms share a family bathroom with a separate shower.
A double garage – with an attractive overhang which is a very useful place to store and dry logs – includes a staircase up to a large floored room, which would make a great office, playroom or studio. It has Velux windows, light and power already installed.
Behind the garage (and part of the same building) is the wood pellet boiler, a large store and a WC.
The gardens at Rowangarth include neat borders filled with carefully chosen plants and shrubs that provide colour all year round, a sheltered spots to sit in, terraces and pretty hedging. The remainder of the ground has been turned into a wildflower meadow.
“I’m a keen gardener and it has been lovely to design it from scratch,” adds Diana.
“Because we are surrounded by this beautiful countryside, we didn’t want anything too manicured or landscaped – the wildflower meadow is a much softer transition into the fields surrounding us.”
Diana and Murray are moving for family reasons, but are sad to leave Rowangarth behind.
“If we could package it all up and take it with us, we would,” says Diana. “It’s a fantastic house, which has really settled into the landscape – a lovely place to live.”