Home to be wild about
Superb rural villa with a city postcode is a haven for local animals
FOR centuries, Glasgow has been known as ‘The Dear Green Place’ – but this property within its boundaries should be known as ‘The Deer Green Place’. There’s scarcely another house in sight, with the most frequent visitors being deer, rabbits and black mink, scuttling their way along the banks of the burn which gurgles next to the detached villa.
This is as far from the noise and pollution as you could imagine yet, incredibly, it still has a Glasgow postcode. Braefoot House lies just outside Carmunnock, the last remaining village within the city’s limits. It must have been one very special planning decision which allowed a house to be built in this spot, surrounded by fields, trees and an abundance of wildlife.
A previous owner was the family behind Green’s Playhouse – later rebranded as The Apollo – the legendary city centre concert mecca which played host to the likes of The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Elton John.
In those days, the property was a much smaller Art Deco affair, before the current owners tastefully extended and developed it over the past 30 years.
Yet for all its rural charm, the location of Braefoot House allows you to reach the city centre in under 15 minutes, heading past Castlemilk, King’s Park, Hampden Park and Toryglen.
Venture in the opposite direction and the restaurants and shops of Newton Mearns, Clarkston and Giffnock are available within the same time frame.
But why would you want to leave this place, anyway? It has four bedrooms, three of them en suite, but that fails to capture the sheer opulence of the sleeping accommodation. The bedrooms themselves are understated, with built-in wardrobes removing the need for cluttered furniture. Instead, bespoke pieces have been sourced from Italian craftsmen, which make a feature out of every room.
The en suite of the master bedroom is a thing of beauty, a wet room clad in black glass walls so tall that the windows had to be removed to get them in. The shower unit, which sends jets of water at you from three directions, must provide a refreshing experience.
Downstairs boasts an elegant dining room and a succession of lounges, filled with deep sofas that make effortless relaxation almost compulsory.
Since much of the furniture has been custom-made to suit this property, the owners are open to negotiation should someone wish to keep individual pieces.
The dining-sized kitchen is particularly attractive, finished in glazed wall and base units, topped off with sleek Neff appliances, and a spiral staircase leads to the converted attic area, which would work superbly as an office or customised cinema room.
Entry to the property is via electric gates, a curved driveway and covered car port. The detached triple garage has power, light and a remote-controlled door.
Carmunnock is a conservation area, with a thriving coffee shop, pharmacy, newsagents and historic parish church. A small village green looks like a backdrop from Midsomer Murders with quaint green railings and a direction sign that’s probably not been changed since the 1930s.
A new development by Stewart Milne Homes is taking shape on the outer flank of the village.
But there is no prospect of new housing emerging anywhere near Braefoot House.
The surrounding fields are owned by the National Trust for Scotland – so, for the foreseeable future, the only ‘neighbours’ are likely to remain the deer.