Award winning homes for sale at Donaldson’s
The Playfair at Donaldson’s is renowned as one of the most iconic buildings in Edinburgh. Situated just moments from Haymarket station, the former college is set amidst 18 acres of elegant grounds and is dominated by the central Playfair building: a stunning quadrangular building built in the 1840s and designed in the style of an Elizabethan palace.
Award-winning heritage developer City & Country has transformed the historic Playfair into beautifully restored apartments in a wide variety of sizes, from studios to three-bedroom residences. The outstanding conversion has already been recognised with no fewer than four major awards in 2018 from esteemed industry groups the Scottish Home Awards, the WhatHouse? Awards and The Herald Property Awards.
Apartments marry the best of the old and the new, with a mix of original features such as large historic windows, fireplaces and cornices, alongside a contemporary specification of sleek handle-less kitchens combined with luxurious bathrooms that have all the amenities expected of high-quality modern living. The clever use of space makes best use of the historic fabric, creating many unique living spaces ranging from studios, mezzanine apartments, split-level, loft and penthouse accommodation in a wide variety of sizes.
Long-time Edinburgh residents Paul and Katharine Jackson were some of the first owners to move into the building. They had been living in a large three bedroom converted Victorian home and found they were not using much of its space.
’We had three bedrooms but we hardly ever used them to their full potential,’ says Paul. ‘When we first went to view Donaldson’s and were shown our apartment, we just thought ‘Wow!’ We fell in love with it immediately.’
He continues: ‘Donaldson’s is such an iconic place and people often pass it and wonder what it is because it has such a grand appearance. It gives off the same striking impression as when you first see Edinburgh Castle. Coming up the drive you really feel it’s such a privilege to call the building home.’
Communal areas of the Playfair, such as the grand entrance hall and large stairwells, have been softly lit, carpeted and painted in hues of navy blue and dark green, creating a regal sense of place.
The sweeping grounds have been transformed to provide idyllic outdoor spaces to relax and enjoy the views of the outstanding building. Soon they will be home to a Chapel Garden, arboretum and parterre terrace.
Discussing their new home, Katharine continues: ‘Having previously lived in a large Victorian conversion, it’s great to still have such a sense of space and height in our apartment. We have magnificent traditional windows that let in lots of light too with stunning views to the south overlooking the Pentland Hills. The grounds are also absolutely beautiful and we’ll use them when the weather is nice.’
CONTACT
Current prices range from £252,500 to £1,695,000. For more information call 0131 341 5102 or visit: www.cityandcountry.co.uk