KEYS TO KNOW
Find the middle ground in the choice between character and comfort, suggests Kirsty Mcluckie
Everyone has a different idea of their dream home. For some it will be a period country house, for others a sleek modern penthouse.
Both old and new homes have their advantages. Period properties can offer charm and history, but might have the draughts and leaks which point to their age.
A new-build home sometimes lacks character but the advantage of modern heating, contemporary room layouts and up-to-date appliances can outweigh any other considerations.
But there are properties that have the best of both, whether they are a small cottage with a modern extension, a house with a traditional exterior that has been comprehensively updated inside or a conversion of a grand old building.
Originally built in 1795, Kingsmeadows House is a B-listed Georgian mansion refurbished by developer Granton Homes to provide 12 unique apartments on the banks of the Tweed in the Scottish Borders.
The house is set in a 17-acre estate half a mile from the centre of Peebles.
With around 1,900sq ft of floor space and high ceilings in all the principal rooms, the two-bedroomed apartment which is for sale gives an opulent feeling of space with a south-facing aspect, double-glazed sash windows and delightful views of the mature grounds.
The proportions would be the perfect setting to display art, but the apartment is also chic and modern, with an openplan kitchen, by Kitchens International, featuring Siemens appliances, a Silestone worktop and remote control multi-colour LED lighting.
Heating is a mix of underfloor and conventional radiators making the modern residents of Kingsmeadows a lot more comfortable than those growing up there in the Georgian era.
The Haining, Ormiston, is both an old and new house, located 15 miles from Edinburgh.
At one end, it is a traditional stone-built cottage, while at the other, a striking and spacious contemporary house.
Built initially as a lodge house for 16th century Ormiston Hall and extended in 2006 by the Norman Gray Partnership, the Haining was nominated for a Civic Trust Award in 2015 for an architectural design contrasted by the rustic woodland backdrop and rural situation.
Bright, airy and open it has a split-level layout. The central hall has sliding doors on the south-west side, while the living room has floor-to-ceiling windows and a projector, screen and wired surroundsound speaker system, to turn it into a cinema room. The kitchen has polished black granite surfaces, deep wooden units, stylish underlighting and a pantry and utility room.
The original part of the house has a library with open stone on two walls and a large open fireplace with log burning stove, making sure that the history of the house is showcased.
No 21, Gayfield Place Lane in Edinburgh is part of a whole building renovation.
The three-bedroomed flat is at lower ground level with its own front door and has original features such as big bay windows set in circular walls in two of the bedrooms but the finish is high end and modern with the lighting in particular giving the feel of a chic contemporary home. Where is it: Apartment 2, Kingsmeadows House, Peebles. What is it: A two-bedroomed, twobathroom ground floor apartment in a B-listed Georgian mansion set on the banks of the River Tweed. Good points: Offering luxury living but on a manageable scale, the apartment has undergone a very high quality renovation with all mod cons for a comfortable life in a spectacular period property. The main living area, encompassing kitchen, dining and living space, is a very impressive room. Bad points: The apartment does have its own private outside space, including a sun terrace accessed from the house, but the 17 acres of grounds are shared. Price: Offers over £530,000. Contact: Remax on 01721 617003.