It’s a bobby DAZZLER
Couple let TV cameras inside their sparkling Home of the Year contender
Police retirees show off their Home of the Year contender.
RYAN and Steph Lothian had just retired from the police force and had sold their property in Edinburgh when they were arrested by picturesque Williamstone Farm.
Located in the lovely seaside town of North Berwick, the B-listed farm included a charming farmhouse and a tumble down collection of outbuildings ripe for conversion to holiday homes. They bought the place and had the renovations cuffed in no time. The farmhouse is now being filmed for BBC TV’S Scotland’s Home of the Year 2018, while the steadings have been nominated finalists in the Scottish Home Awards, as well as being given a five-star rating by Visitscotland.
Steph tells in10: “We had completed a large property in the city centre and a buyer approached us unexpectedly quickly, so we sold up and were hoping to find a new project nearby.”
But when nothing came up their estate agent sent them details for the farm, a 30 minute drive from the city. Steph beams: “We went to have a look and we were immediately besotted.” Steph, who with Ryan has a son Lewis, says: “One of the farm buildings was just about habitable, so we camped there while we tackled the other three properties. We got started, drawing up plans and getting all the permissions in place.”
Work began in November 2016 and the family moved into the farmhouse in December the following year. Steph smiles: “We are still working on it, but the adjoining buildings, the Barn, the Bothy and the Byre have all been converted into holiday lets for visitors to the area.”
The couple employed Edinburgh-based architect Lynsay Bell to help with the design and planning. Steph remembers: “There were a
number of planning issues that needed to be overseen by Historic Scotland throughout the project, so it was quite challenging. “The barns had very few openings in their original state and we wanted to let in a lot more light. One of Lynsay’s team, David Hill, came up with the solution of lining all the new openings with corten steel to define them and hint at their industrial heritage.
“We were delighted with this clever key to a tricky problem and it became the starting point for
the rustic styling that we have used throughout the interior.” The couple brought in Dumfriesshire blacksmith James Boam to manufacture the window framing, while their search for compatible flooring led them to Edinburgh interior designer Rachel Richmond of Hen & Crask.
Says Steph: “We were looking for an engineered oak, suitable for laying over underfloor heating, with just the right amount of distressing. The service that Rachel provides is extremely individual. She helped me source all the fabrics, lighting and furniture. Rachel worked fast, which was a must for us, because our camping conditions were not comfortable, plus, equally importantly, she stuck to the budget.”
Interior colour consultant Patricia Hunter came up with a subtle palette of colours that the family love.
Says Steph: “I feel my style has evolved considerably with this property. I had a light-filled, Scandi vision for our home initially, but actually a rustic, industrial edge has crept in and the results are much darker and more dramatic than I expected.”
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