Home on the grange
This cool yet cosy space provides plenty of wow factor, writes Paul Drury
IT is a dramatic country house not far from the city. And while the exterior is finished in cool Siberian timber, would-be buyers will warm to the cosy and contemporary interior. The larch cladding that envelops East Grange, near Dunlop, Ayrshire, is widely used in Scandinavia and is becoming more popular in this country as the basis for an environmentally friendly project – as well as guaranteeing a toasty interior.
The four-bedroom detached home, built in 2015, scores very high marks in the energy efficiency stakes but that does not come at the expense of interior style.
There is a warm, traditional welcome at the front porch, which has been dressed in natural granite cobblestones.
But it is the downstairs interior that provides the wow factor. The living, dining and kitchen space is effectively one big area but it has been separated by the clever use of room dividers, giving each zone its own identity.
The formal dining area is big enough to accommodate a table for ten, with large windows offering lovely views of the gardens. The sitting room, again, is bright thanks to windows on three sides, and the owner’s choice of mid-century furniture provides a 1960s vibe.
The kitchen zone offers lovely, sleek white German wall and base units topped by durable Corian work surfaces.
There’s a high window above this work space, creating a tableau of the skyline.
It is fully fitted with integrated appliances, including an AEG dishwasher, Neff electric cooker, Neff microwave/oven, and two AEG fridge/ freezers.
A free-standing breakfast bar inset with a five-ring Neff electric induction hob and extractor hood provides the focus to this space.
There is a bedroom on the ground floor as well as a generously-sized utility room, plant room and guest toilet.
The master bedroom is described by the selling agent as ‘an apartment’, containing not only a kingsize bed but a living room, study space, dressing room and ensuite bathroom. Bedrooms three and four are on this level, next to the family bathroom.
The sheer space available at East Grange is considerable.
It consists of three separate buildings, sympathetically positioned to create a ‘ribbon’ development along a lane. The huge double garage is at present used as a gym and the third building has been created with horse lovers in mind.
The stable block consists of four loose boxes, a covered hardstanding area for grooming, a tack room and toilet.
It connects directly to the paddock, allowing horses to access their boxes at all times should this be required.
Surrounded on all sides by open country, the gardens are visited by local wildlife including deer, buzzards, heron and owls.
Yet for all its bucolic attraction, East Grange is only a 25-minute drive from Glasgow.