It’s dome sweet dome
Victorian villa has a dramatic cupola that brings the outside in
THEY may have lived in enlightened times, but when it came to designing their imposing residences the Victorians did not exactly subscribe to the mantra Let There Be Light. Many modern-day architects believe that if they did have one flaw, their 19th Century counterparts were guilty of creating dark, brooding apartments that confined their residents to the shadows.
Having the chance to do something about this 150 years later must have produced a deep sense of satisfaction. Improving on Victoriana? Now that’s impressive.
An extension at 46 Grange Road in Edinburgh’s South Side has been built to the specifications of the Victorian era.
Today, the Grange is home to celebrities, wealthy businessmen and the odd banker, drawn to its grand Victorian villas and air of solid stability.
Nothing changes much in this neighbourhood, save for the property prices, of course.
The extension to the detached property at No. 46 was fabricated in reclaimed ashlar sandstone to match the existing stonework and is topped by a highly impressive cupola.
When combined with the effect of the fully glazed walls and doors that open to the garden, the cupola creates a dramatic living area that pulls the outside in. If houses could have sunroofs, this is it.
Craig Proudfoot was the project director of the transformation of the previously ‘rather tired’ fourbedroom villa. He says: ‘I am not always in favour of simply blending in with the style of an existing property. ‘The Victorians did a lot of things right but they did not always allow a lot of light into their buildings, particularly those with big rooms.
‘The inclusion of the cupola allowed us to flood the room with light and it works really well – and it certainly brings the “wow” factor to the property.’ Mr Proudfoot and his team have pulled off that tricky art of taking a period property and upgrading it to modern standards without compromising its original style. Where the building’s 19th Century designers were dominated by discipline and formality, the property now flows freely from room to room.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the effortless journey from hitech kitchen through the dining room to the light-drenched sitting room.
While Victorian soirées were probably confined to the drawing room and later the dining room, today’s guests have the freedom of the entire downstairs area.
The kitchen, by Kitchens International, has integral appliances by Miele, granite worktops and a polished walnut floor.
The master bedroom completes the ground floor accommodation, fitted with luxury Saxony carpets and featuring a dressing room with large en suite bathroom, including a free-standing bath and double shower.
Upstairs is reached via a grand staircase. Here, there are two double bedrooms, again fitted with Saxony carpets.
Both bedrooms have beautifully finished contemporary en suite bathrooms and one of the rooms has a dressing room.
The final apartment on the upper floor is a single bedroom or study.
Mr Proudfoot says ‘not a corner was cut’ in the refurbishment.
He adds: ‘The planners were insistent that the extension should closely match the main house, to look as if it might have been added during the 19th Century.
‘We put in new electrical wiring and the plumbing and drainage had to be overhauled to accommodate the en suite bathrooms upstairs.
‘It’s nice to be involved in a project with such attention to detail. And it shows.’
Offers over £1,150,000 to Blair Stewart of Strutt & Parker, Edinburgh. Tel 0131 718 4480 or email blair.stewart@struttandparker.com