Star of the small screen
Now you can own the perfect flat found by Phil and Kirstie, writes
WHEN Amy and Matt Henderson approached Channel 4’s Location Location Location five-and-a-half years ago, they had a defined brief for presenters Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp: to find them a main door period f lat in the centre of Edinburgh that would work well for a young professional couple, while also being big enough to adapt in time to a family. The programme experts worked their magic and came up with a list.
This three-bedroom main door Georgian property at 111 Henderson Row in Stockbridge was one of four the couple viewed, and, as Amy says: “It was the right one for us. I was very keen to have our own front door and most places they showed us had that, but this f lat has a re- ally generous hallway as well, and I also liked the shape of the inner hall as it’s big and square; it’s quite grand and there’s a real feeling of space when you walk in.”
Number 111 is indeed a beautiful flat with well-balanced proportions.
Moving from a top floor flat in the New Town, the Hendersons were concerned about compromising on light here, but both of the rooms at the front of the building – the living room and the master bedroom – have twin windows.
The second bedroom at the back of the building, meanwhile, has a stunning floor-to-ceiling window.
While the master bedroom features a contemporary en-suite shower room, the couple decided to use this rear bedroom as their own. “As soon as I walked in here I had this sense of calm,” Amy says. The smaller third bedroom now belongs to the couple’s 11-month-old son Charlie.
Although the property was in good condition when the Hendersons moved in, they soon realised that some of the previous upgrading work had been done quite superficially.
In the dining-kitchen, the couple reinstated the window seat and the panelling that frames the window, and added the stone splashback tiling to complement the existing cabinets.
They also restored the working shutters throughout, as some had worked previously while others hadn’t.
And there are great period
features in the f lat, from the fireplaces – including marble surrounds in both the living room and bedroom two – and the stripped timber floors to the original flagstone floors in both the vestibule and hallway that set the tone as you arrive.
There is much to admire about this property, not least the location, with Stockbridge on the doorstep.
In terms of outside space, access to Saxe Coburg Gardens and Dean Gardens is available for an annual fee. Number 111 was a great find for the Hendersons and now, since their improvements, it’s an even better find for the next owners. n Offers over £450,000; contact Connell & Connell on 0131 556 2993. www.connellws.co.uk