Homes: A kit home on the Isle of Skye combines today's energy-saving technology and traditional style with striking results

Sarah and Jason Bold pinch themselves whenever they arrive at their larch-clad island retreat. "We can't believe it's ours," says Sarah.The couple, who live in London, first visited Skye ten years ago and kept coming back.

For Sarah, an Australian, the attraction lay in the wilderness and space, reminiscent of her homeland. When the "perfect plot" came up for sale in 2005, a couple of years after Sarah and Jason married, they were inspired to act. Again, it was the remoteness of the site, on a headland of the Duirnish peninsular in the north west of the island, that really appealed. It can, says Sarah, feel like driving to the ends of the earth to get here, but the spectacular views are reward enough.

Looking back, Sarah believes their purchase of a plot was nave, especially with a one-year-old (the couple's second child arrived halfway through the build).

"But that naivety saved us," she says; "Had we known how epic the project would be, we may have thought twice."

Having made contact with Dualchas Building Design, an architectural practice with offices in Skye and Glasgow, the couple were delighted to learn they could affordably build a kit home with excellent energy credentials.

The open croft land they purchased, which has a small ruin on its hillside, came with outline planning for a residential dwelling. In applying for full consent the architects remained mindful of the island's built heritage, drawing inspiration from the low-slung form of the rural longhouse, while embracing traditional materials such as the natural slate roof. However, aluminium flashing on the roof apex lends the building a sharp, contemporary finish, as do large glazed apertures and larch cladding.

"As the larch weathers, the house will merge subtly into the surrounding landscape," says Sarah.

The build got underway in 2007, but it would take more than two years to complete. An environmental enquiry concerned with water resources held it up, along with many other builds on the island, with some self-builders resorting to expensive boreholes to maintain progress. The couple held out for connection by Scottish Water, and delays were further exacerbated when their original contractor went bust. Luckily Dornoch-based builder Michael Allen stepped into the breach.

The fact that the couple's London home was also in the midst of renovations didn't help, and although the Bolds always managed to visit Skye for key elements of the build, they trusted their architect to oversee the work.

Fortunately the property's construction using Structural Insulated Panels meant the building could be made wind and watertight within a week. These panels, made in Germany, were an ideal choice, as they are designed to withstand the high winds off the Atlantic.

The kit house, supplied by local firm Hebridean Homes, has superb thermal efficiency due to high insulation properties and airtightness; glazing by Norwegian company Nordan boosts these credentials. However, the couple couldn't resist installing a log burner within the double-height living space.

"To sit beside the stove, watching the weather rolling in across the sea, is quite special," says Sarah, who adores Skye in the winter when the elements are at their wildest.

Skye Woodhouse, as the couple christened the property, utilises the roof space to create accommodation over one-and-a-half storeys. Two bedrooms are located on each level while the area in which they spend most of their time – the living/dining space – is positioned before those startlingly beautiful views. Floor-to-ceiling windows and glazed doors strengthen the bond between inside and out, spilling open onto a timber deck which, with views across Loch Pooltiel to Dunvegan Head and the outer Hebrides, is a beautiful spot for whale watching and stargazing.

A galley-style kitchen leads off this living area on a semi-open plan, so the cook can chat to guests at the dining table. Sarah and Jason opted for an ecological Nibe heat recovery system. The building is so well insulated that it heats very quickly and excess energy is recycled to heat hot water and the under floor heating that stretches below engineered oak at ground level (the upstairs bedrooms have natural wool carpets and the entrance lobby is tiled in slate). "The house temperature is always regulated," says Sarah.

The couple envisaged an interior that would feel cosy but not twee, and struck this balance with a mix of retro pieces and antiques alongside striking contemporary buys. For example, an old farmhouse table and mid-20th- century Danish-designed dining chairs sit below an iconic contemporary copper pendant light by Tom Dixon.

The stained ash kitchen with walnut worktops was, says Sarah, "a winner of a buy" from B&Q's Select range, while contemporary bathroom fittings (two of the bedrooms have en suites, and there's a separate bathroom at ground level) are from Bathstore.com Sarah and Jason chose high quality tiles from World's End Tiles in London, carting them up to Scotland by car. Inviting leather "club" chairs in the upstairs bedrooms, from The Good Companion in London, also arrived one-by-one in the car, and are cosily accessorised with sheepskin rugs from Skyeskyns.

Eco paints from The Little Greene Paint Company in muted, earthy shades root the interior in its setting. For years Sarah hoarded a sample of fern-printed wallpaper by Cole & Son, in the hope of finding somewhere to use it, and she is happy with the striking finish it creates in the main bedroom. The king-size bed in this room is from Habitat, as are bunks in the downstairs bedroom, while there's a glorious mahogany sleigh bed upstairs and the remaining double room is kitted out with two antique singles snapped up on eBay.

Although the couple planned Skye Woodhouse as a private retreat, it's ultimately had to earn its keep. Holidaymakers relish its proximity to The Three Chimneys Restaurant and hikes such as those offered by the nearby Macleod's Tables. "It's lovely to let other people enjoy the house," says Sarah; "It changes the whole feel of the place when it's not empty for long periods."

Despite the challenges they faced, the Bolds are glad they took the plunge.

"We would do it all again if we had to, it was such a great experience," Sarah says.

Tel: [phone], www.skyewoodhouse.co.uk; www.dualchas.com; www.hebrideanhomes.com

This article was first published in The Scotsman, 12 February, 2011