Interiors: Caisealrag Cottage in Argyll

The coastline close to Caisealrag Cottage in Argyll is beguiling. And for couples choosing to marry here, it's unforgettable. One pair smitten by the romantic power of the place even had a silhouette of the landscape engraved onto their wedding bands.

Caisealrag is the miniature sibling of Crear, an arts charity that began to take shape within an old sheep farm in 1999. Crear functions primarily as a working space (with accommodation) where the inspirations of international musicians, artists, writers and dancers thrive and cross-pollinate.

The notion of weddings at Crear happened by accident, after a couple of musicians who had worked in the remarkable studio (once a lambing shed) asked if they could hold their celebrations there. Today, couples can exchange vows in this serene place, whilst simultaneously contributing to the charity.

Back in 2006 the woman behind Crear, artistic director Kate Lithgow, decided to convert an old stone cottage nearby.

"Everyone thought I was mad," she says. Rarely did anyone notice Caisealrag cottage, tucked under the curving slope of the quiet road to Crear. Built in the 1880s, the cottage had been declared unfit for habitation in the 1940s and subsequently turned into a garage.

With characteristic determination (the kind that made Crear a reality), a limited budget and invaluable assistance from Shetland builder George Williamson, Kate transformed the little abode.

Fortunately the garage conversion had not tampered greatly with the fabric of the building, which retained a fireplace (now home to a Petit Godin French wood burner stove) while the original stonework was in good condition. Kate contemplated dividing the modest floor area into lots of small spaces, but ultimately recognised this would impinge on its practicality. Instead, with assistance from Edward Williams, an architect-friend who had, like George, worked on Crear, she opted for an open-plan living/kitchen area off and an en-suite bedroom and useful utility space. A custom-built island forms a sociable divide between the kitchen (kitted out with eBay finds) and the sitting area. On the kitchen wall is a photograph of the Paps of Jura dusted with snow by Jem Southam, who was an artist-in-residence at Crear. Caisealrag also acts as a gallery as artwork displayed is for sale.

George highlighted the need to double the size of the entrance porch, largely because of Kate's dogs, Speckle and Fling.

"He knew it was hopeless, coming straight into a living space with muddy dogs," she says; "The bigger porch is really convenient."

This little space plays host to framed drawings from Imagined Histories by the late Graham Percy, who started this series – witty contemporary takes on historical figures – whilst staying at Crear. The charity later published a book on the project.

A couple of years ago, when she no longer required it as a home, Kate altered the role of Caisealrag. Keen to utilise the space as more than just an overspill for guests at Crear, she had the cottage licensed for wedding ceremonies too, creating the perfect Highland bolthole for couples getting married with few or even no guests.

Vows can be exchanged, stove ablaze, within Caisealrag's whitewashed walls, out in the surrounding fields, at one of several sandy beaches or the site of an ancient fort nearby.

Many couples arrive for their "wee wedding" with children and four-legged friends, a dog-friendly policy welcomed by any bride and groom who can't bear to leave this special guest at home.

"Dogs love the under floor heating," says Kate. She sourced the Travertine floor that stretches through the cottage on eBay, as well as Travertine mosaic tiles that clad the walls of the romantic en suite bathroom, where there's a double-ended bath. Contemporary CP Hart bathroom fittings and an over-sized mirror create a space as practical as it is stylish.

Blairs Joinery made new sash and case windows for Caisealrag, while Welshman Brian Jones, who made the timber staircase that snakes down into the studio at Crear, crafted the shutters. The garage doors were replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows, for which sky-blue curtains were made locally by Joanna McKay using an off-cut of linen Kate bought in Belfast.

Kate furnished the space with the comfortable elegance typical of Crear. With plump sofas, and a smart chair upholstered in striped Mulberry fabric, Caisealrag encourages guests to unwind in the company of the landscape as it unfolds uphill to the red roofs of Crear. The rustic timber chest travelled the world with Kate's grandmother, while the large rug is also a family piece.

In the bedroom there's a king-size cherry wood bed made by Brian Jones to fit the space, swathed in down bedding.

But while Caisealrag excels as a romantic abode for two, even the tiniest of weddings can come with extra cast members. Last year Kate drew up plans for a single storey extension to the cottage, a Siberian-larch clad structure that houses two bedrooms with en suite shower rooms, and its own entrance.

This remote location also makes an overnight stay attractive for those travelling to Crear's summer concerts, which kick off this year with Italian pianist Roberto Prosseda and include a return visit from Canada by Kai Gleusteen and Catherine Ordronneau, who played at the first ever concert here in 2002.

Caisealrag is also available to holidaymakers who can explore the area by foot, bicycle or kayak. Crear is on The Seafood Trail, which stretches from Skye to Kintyre and celebrates the best of west coast seafood, while the award winning Kilberry Inn is a mile along the road.

The romance of a ring engraved with the coastline is hard to beat, but whoever finds this special place is sure to leave with a little piece etched on their heart.

Caisealrag Cottage, Kilberry, by Tarbert, Argyll, tel: [phone], www.weeweddings.co.uk; www.crear.co.uk

• This article was first published in The Scotsman, Saturday March 13, 2010