A remarkable Gogar redevelopment

From the outside, you might not realise that Little Kellerstain was a new development. Standing in a ¾ acre site in the village of Gogar on the western outskirts of Edinburgh, this house fits right into its rural location with its mix of traditional stonework and render and the slate roof. The date stone over the front door tells us otherwise however, as this four/five bedroom house has recently been completed by Apex Developments Ltd.

Little Kellerstain, Gogar

James Baillie, their contracts director discovered Little Kellerstain when the property came on to the market in 2012. Apex has completed a range of different developments including period properties within Edinburgh’s city centre. This property presented a different challenge however. Little Kellerstain was originally a single-storey bungalow and was in a sorry state three years ago. While the property itself had no appeal, as James says: “It was the setting that really endeared us.” Although this house feels very rural, there’s easy access to the M8 and M9 motorways and Edinburgh airport is less than a five minute drive from the front door, while Edinburgh’s city centre is just 15 minute’s away.

“It was clear that this beautiful plot, nestled away in such a quiet western corner of Edinburgh, could encompass a truly spectacular home,” James says, “although the house required major refurbishment – ideally rebuilding.” The developers purchased the land as a plot with the proviso that a new home was to be rebuilt within the grounds. Planning constraints, which are governed by green-belt development restrictions, prevented them from changing the original position and footprint of the house but after lengthy negotiations with the local planning authority, it was agreed that the new house would be built off the original foundations, and permission was granted to add a second level that would take advantage of the fantastic views towards the Pentland Hills and beyond.

Work started at the beginning of 2014. The stone used to build the façade was sourced from various quarries in a mixture of traditional colours, and was dressed to match details on the stone used when building Kellerstain House – a baronial mansion house nearby that originally owned these grounds, which were once the walled garden that served the main house. Slate was used on the roof to complement the stonework and lead constructed a dormer balcony. The double glazed sash and case windows were handmade, and all of these features give a nod to traditional building methods while adding to the character of the house.

Little Kellerstain, Gogar

Internally, meanwhile, Little Kellerstain is all about beautiful contemporary design. As James says: “The hybrid of pairing traditional with contemporary can be a difficult balance to strike but we like to think the extra effort put into every detail has paid off.” On the ground level you’ll find an open plan dining room and kitchen, with contemporary units and worktops creating a streamlined aesthetic in the latter, alongside a powder blue Smeg fridge-freezer – a nice touch. Doors sliding open from the kitchen onto a decked patio that overlooks the gardens.

There’s a utility room off the kitchen and a study off the dining room, while the sitting room includes a Jotul multi-fuel stove with a feature stone chimneybreast, and takes in the same great views as the kitchen. There are three bedrooms on the ground floor, one en-suite, along with the family bathroom, and both this space and the master en-suite upstairs feature freestanding baths with wet rooms.

The master bedroom also has a dressing room, while doors open onto a glazed balcony – a wonderful feature. There’s a store room on the upper level, and a games room that could also be used a bedroom.

The quality is obvious, from the choice of fittings to bespoke features such as the oak staircase, and there are nice design touches in the flourishes of wallpaper and choice of light fittings. The way the house functions has been as carefully considered, both in terms of the flow of space and the ‘extras’ – for example, the central heating can be controlled from your phone.

Little Kellerstain, Gogar

The grounds were professionally landscaped and the walled garden makes this a secure spot for young families. There is also a separate home office including a shower room and kitchenette.

Little Kellerstain may feel traditional on the outside, but every aspect of this house has been designed to work for modern family living.

Guide price of £850,000; contact CKD Galbraith on 0131 240 6960 or visit www.ckdgalbraith.co.uk