Soul searching in idyllic Argyll
Warm and welcoming Anam Cara is a wooden wonder for holidaymakers
DESPITE being made from timber, Anam Cara doesn’t have a wooden heart.
This warm and welcoming retreat on the shores of Loch Creran more than lives up to its translated name – friend of the soul.
But it was not always the case as its owner, retired businessman Ken Williams, reveals: “The property was built in the 1950s with a simple timber frame.
“It was a simple ‘bothy’– a single homestead providing living accommodation, but by the time we bought it, it had already been a holiday home.”
Cumbria-based Ken and his wife Tania are proud of their Scots heritage, their respective origins being in Perthshire and Argyll. They were married at Barcaldine Castle in Oban in
Everything about Anam Cara whispers ‘sanctuary’
2007 and lived for a time in Argyll.
As they knew the area well, they decided to buy a property there. And the couple could immediately see the potential in the little wooden house just two miles from the village of Benderloch in Argyll.
They began renovating and remodelling the one-bedroom house in 2014 but decided to take their time over the work to achieve the perfect finish. It was first let to holidaymakers at the start of this year and has proved increasingly popular.
Ken says: “When we first bought it we stripped it back to the bare walls and had to have some of it re-clad because the wood was rotten. The whole place was then fully insulated and plaster-boarded.”
New hard-wearing Karndean flooring was also laid.
All of the existing internal doors were replaced, some with glazed alternatives, to make the most of the light. The original small, heavy framed windows were also removed and replaced with single panes measuring 5ft by 7ft feet to better take in the dramatic panorama of Glen Coe and the Cruachan mountains.
In the small kitchen the couple removed a wall to transform the original space into a much larger, contemporary-style dining/ kitchen/living area. Sleek, modern units in hues of mocha cream were installed, along with new floor tiles.
Tania, who has a flair for interior design, had the only remaining dividing wall painted in a vivid lime green, injecting vibrancy to the otherwise neutral décor.
The lounge was given similar treatment and Tania painted a feature wall in hues of purple
heather. The colour was further enhanced with the addition of high quality fabrics in complementary tones, sourced and supplied by Jane Blanchard Designs by Nature.
Against this wall sits a glowing multi-fuel burner. Leather furnishings and a chunky wooden handmade coffee table by Tarzan Tables complete the look which reflects the sense and feel of the outer environment.
From the lounge, large glass double doors lead onto a deck, also with a glass balustrade to maximise the view.
And the property boasts what Ken laughingly refers to as a “sitooterie” – a comfortable conservatory to make the most of the outside on wet days. It is painted in a stylish soft blue grey, as is the building’s exterior.
From the sumptuous bedroom where a picture window looks out over the stillness of the loch to the hi-tech shower room where a gargantuan monsoon shower head pumps steaming hot water while soothing music is played through the innovative bluetooth mirror, everything about Anam Cara whispers “sanctuary”.
For more information, visit www.unique-cottages.co.uk