Interiors: Maxwell House,

Published on Monday 2 January 2012 00:00

One of the joys of getting out of town is seeing the urban sprawl give way to stretches of green. For those who love a good property find, there’s also the promise of making a discovery.

It’s here, amid the hedgerows and quieter suburban roads, that every wrought iron gate or lane contains the possibility of a gem, be it a comely cottage or Victorian villa.

And so it was for Ann Maxwell and her husband, who had ventured south-east of Edinburgh to view an off-market property in 2001. With an extensive garden and coachhouse, plus the majority of its original features intact – including an old thunderbox and Victorian bath – they knew they’d found something special as soon as they walked into the B-listed house.

However, it was by no means perfect. “The house had been seriously neglected,” recalls Ann. “The fabric of the property required a total upgrade. The roof needed a lot of work, there was extensive dry and wet rot and the entire building had to be re-wired and re-plumbed.”

In short, they were facing a ten-year renovation project which involved getting planning permission at almost every turn. This would have put off many prospective buyers, but Ann – the woman behind the Muir Maxwell Trust – has never been one to shy away from a challenge.

Identifying a chronic lack of support for epileptic children and their families, Ann founded the charity in 2003 after her own son, Muir, was born with the condition. The charity’s remit is to help fill the void, and it has grown from a small operation run from Ann’s study into one of the most significant paediatric epilepsy charities in the UK.

Muir’s safety and wellbeing was the priority when it came to renovating their new family home, which he shares with his two brothers. “It had to function for Muir, who we needed to be able to see and hear at all times,” she says.

Thus – with the help of architect John Forbes – a series of dark, pokey rooms were knocked through to form a flowing, cohesive whole with plenty of light-filled, open-plan spaces. “In some ways we restored the functionality of the building,” says Ann. “We put the kitchen at the back of the house – to where it had been originally – which means it benefits from the morning sun. As the sun moves around the house we then get its benefit in the afternoon and evening in the drawing and dining rooms.”

From here Ann, together with Edinburgh-based interior designer Lizzie Bell, set to work decorating the house room by room. Sharing the same vision – which, says Lizzie, was of “a family house that was warm and welcoming, comfortable and elegant” – the pair layered fine fabrics and finishes on top of one another to create a luxuriously tactile home. “I like marrying wools with silk, linen with voile, and checks with stripes,” she says. “I like using rich colours, anything that will create a cosy mix that invites people to sit down.”

With every big name from Pierre Frey and Rubelli to Colefax and Fowler represented in either a flash of floral fabric or an embroidered scatter cushion, the drawing room is a prime example of what they set out to achieve. Hanging a rich silk-effect wallpaper with full-length chintz curtains, the room is divided into two seating areas. One, which is centred on an open fire and ottoman covered in a sumptuous mohair-velvet fabric, lends itself to cosy winter evenings; the other – situated at the bay window – spells comfort, but in a lighter way. The result is two intimate zones that says “smart” as well as “sink into me”.

This warmth is skilfully carried throughout the rest of the house, although it is expressed in different ways. The dining room is an unapologetically opulent space furnished with decorative antique pieces sourced in Italy and Paris and offset by a cranberry felt covering the walls. Upstairs in the media room, cocooning tones of tobacco, terracotta, camel and cinnamon are used to similar effect. It’s here that the family regularly close the cashmere and wool curtains, recline on the ‘“Maxwell” sofa – a giant daybed that had to be installed in pieces – and watch movies on the eight-foot wide projector screen (which, when not in use, cleverly rolls up to reveal a painting by renowned Scottish artist Peter Howson).

Although an eclectic tapestry of colour and pattern has been used in every room, the secret to this home’s cohesion is a commitment to quality – such as the hand-painted American wallpaper in the family bathroom – and an almost-invisible tonal thread that connects it all together. Everything has also been expertly finished right down to every trim and tassel including fan edging and bullion fringing on curtains and a bespoke border on the four-poster in one of the guest bedrooms.

Despite admitting to running out of enthusiasm at points along the way, Ann finished, most recently, with the garden room. Built by Marston & Langinger, this is a multi-purpose zone extending out of the back of the house. Here, a 12-seater elm dining table and a selection of comfy seating takes centre stage; Ann can work, rest and play while enjoying her newly landscaped garden.

The result is a house of contrasts that ranges from rich and regal to light and airy within a matter of metres. Taken as a whole, Ann has achieved her goal: a beautiful but accessible family house that has been created to share. “It was designed to be enjoyed by many and lived in so that it gives the boys great memories of growing up,” says Ann. And now that it’s finished, she’s making sure it delivers.

• Muir Maxwell Trust (0131-273 5256, www.muirmaxwelltrust.com)

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