Making space to conserve the summer
Kirsty Mcluckie finds the best homes on the market in Scotland for indulging in some indoor outdoor living
Despite the record-breaking summer this year, Scottish weather can be fickle and the advantages of having a place to enjoy the outdoors, without necessarily being exposed to the elements, are numerous.
Not only does a conservatory or sunroom extend the floorspace, it provides a room that can be used throughout the year and can range from a modest porch in which to grow an exotic house plant or two to an extension which completely changes the nature of a property – and the occupants’ whole way of living.
And there can’t be many homes in Scotland better laid out for enjoying the outdoors than Kinvaid House, on the edge of the hamlet of Moneydie, near Perth.
The six-bedroomed modern country home is a bespoke design, completed in 2005.
It has a lovely garden with riparian rights over the Schochie Burn which runs alongside, paddock grazing, an equestrian arena, garaging and a stable block, plus a coach house, gym and cinema room.
Set within six-and-a-half acres of established grounds behind electric gates, the property is orientated towards the south.
The interiors are impressive, but the real wow factor is perhaps the conservatory, leading off the kitchen, which was added in 2015.
The room features striking terrazzo-style floor tiling and tall windows to the south and west framing far-reaching views over the garden and the countryside beyond.
Two sets of French doors lead to the flagstone terrace, a sheltered, south-facing area, which is the ideal spot to catch the sunshine.
If it is warm but wet there is also a timber pergola for shelter.
The terrace is ideal for alfresco dining and features fragrant climbing plants, suspended heat lamps, a charcoal barbecue and an open aspect to the west.
What is more, at the front of the house is a pretty duck pond and, on the other bank, an exceptional summer house for more alfresco living and entertaining.
It features concertina glass doors which fully open out onto a large area of timber decking, with panoramic views over the garden, the house and the riverside setting.
Delford House is a five-bedroomed Georgian home set in two acres of landscaped gardens and grounds in the picturesque village of Kinnaird near Inchture in Perthshire.
It also has a coach house, with guest suite, gym and home office, but its impressive conservatory leads out to a flagstone terrace and that rarest of Scottish house features, a heated outdoor swimming pool. Carl Warden of Bell Ingram says: “Delford House is a hidden gem with fantastic views over some of the best countryside Scotland has to offer. The house alone provides impressive space but also has the benefit of the coach house conversion – a unique extra area for guests.”
A more modest offering is Garden House, Montgreenan, by Kilwinning in North Ayrshire, a four-bedroomed property with more than half an acre set in the wooded grounds of the Montgreenan Estate.
The quiet and secluded spot is the perfect place for a conservatory. The room is linked to decking and looks out onto the estate’s former curling pond, a delightful wooded wetland area and a haven for wildlife.