Weeeeee just love living here
IT’S a house where there’s never any need to be late for mealtimes... as you can always slip down at the last minute.
This family home has a playground-style slide from one of the bedrooms to the dining area. The £10,000 silver chute is an unusual feature of a house in Alyth, Perthshire, now on the market for £695,000.
‘The owner was keen for the slide to go in as they felt the house had lots of things in it for the adults and they wanted to have something special for kids,’ said a spokesman for selling agent McEwan Fraser Legal. ‘Any child will love this unique feature and will never be late for a meal again.’
ESTATE agents have been known to use their creative powers when describing a property they are trying to sell – but in this case they are fully justified in spinning a yarn. Fassfern is a handsome red sandstone home, fashioned from redundant farm buildings at Nether Drumgley, by Forfar in Angus.
It was mentioned in Sentimental Tommy, by Peter Pan author, JM Barrie and published in 1896.
The story of Barrie’s own childhood, the author wrote: ‘Being round the corner from Thrums, it was commanded by no fortified place, save the farm of Nether Drumgley, and on a recent goustie night, nearly all the trees had been blown down… transforming the Den into a scene of wild and mournful grandeur.’
Well, when you have the words of one of our greatest literary figures at your disposal, any estate agent in their right mind is going to use them, are they not?
And yes, the link to Barrie has been carefully incorporated into the brochure for Fassfern, produced by its selling agent, Savills.
Agent Ruaraidh Ogilvie said: ‘We’re lucky – not every property can claim association to a world-renowned author.
‘This is a first-class conversion, tastefully presented with neutral décor which makes the most of open-plan living and the countryside setting.
‘While the location is rural, Fassfern does not feel remote, due to the easy access to the principal routes north and south.’
Neither does it give the impression that it has been recycled from agricultural premises.
Conversions of this nature are notoriously difficult to get right. The trick is successfully translating the big open space of a barn into apartments consistent with residential dimensions.
If you can get the design spot-on, the upside is you have acres of space in which to fashion your fabulous rooms.
The people who created Fassfern certainly pulled this off, and then some, in their 2008 remodelling job on the farm steading.
The dining/kitchen /family room measures 28ft in length, with a sitting room of the same length.
The upper landing is so spacious it could double as a study area and the tall French windows in the living area appear completely in keeping with the property.
Through them, you are able to drink in the gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. On one side of the house, you can appreciate a perspective of the Angus Glens; on the other, you look out on to rolling fields.
The kitchen at Fassfern is particularly impressive.
It has a tiled floor and fitted wall and floor units, with tiled splashbacks. There is a fridge/freezer, integrated Hotpoint oven and grill and microwave, sink and Hotpoint dishwasher.
The space is broken up nicely by a central island, hosting a breakfast bar and Schott halogen hob and extractor.
Off the kitchen lies a utility room, which leads out to the garden.
There are four bedrooms, the largest being the master bedroom which enjoys three fitted wardrobes, plus en suite bathroom with shower cubicle and vanity unit.
The partly tiled family bathroom also has a shower cubicle, washbasin and WC.
Fine days can be enjoyed outside in the garden, enclosed by a sturdy traditional stone dyke. The garden on the other side of the house is laid to lawn, incorporating an area which was once a paddock.
The double garage has a slated roof and is fitted with automatic doors.
The gentle Fassfern of today is unrecognisable from the razed countryside as depicted by Barrie in Sentimental Tommy.
It offers idyllic country living in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland. And that’s no fairy story.
Offers over £345,000 to Ruaraidh Ogilvie of Savills, Brechin. Tel: 01356 628 628.