A long house lying low in rural Scotland
Let’s start with the location: we’re on a plot of 14 private acres set upon lush rolling hills, 20 miles north of Castle Douglas. The former grazing land – rewilded over the course of 15 years with a spectrum of beautiful flora and fauna – has breathtaking views of the Ken valley and the Rhinns of Kells beyond. The setting is wild (especially on one of Scotland’s more stormy days) and wonderful – and despite feeling secluded, there are grocery shops and a pub within reach; The Clachan Inn is beloved by locals for its home-cooked food. The area comes alive at night – best experienced on a trip to the nearby Galloway Dark Sky forest, where more than 7,000 sparkling stars and planets are visible to the naked eye.
The brains behind this four-bedroom steel and timber house is Simon Winstanley, the late architect and Dumfries and Galloway resident who designed it for his family in 2009. The brief he set himself was to create a single-storey home inspired by long houses (narrow dwellings traditionally built for families and their livestock), with exemplary energy efficiency and smart materials – and he delivered. The structure has a superbly low carbon rating, thanks to its Passivhaus-standard insulation, whole-house heat-recovery ventilation, triple-glazed windows and air-source heat pump. Electricity, meanwhile, is powered via solar photovoltaic panels and a private wind turbine.
Aesthetically, the design is a delight too. We love how the roof slants in sync with the hillside and the way the silver-grey cedar weatherboarding blends beautifully with the spectacular surroundings. The landscape is celebrated inside too, where ribbons of clerestory windows frame the striking views. The bright open-plan living and dining area is both spacious and cosy – note the orange-painted log burner at the heart of the room. While there are many sweet spots here, we think the west-facing decked terrace is a particularly lovely one, where you can wrap up with a blanket and a hot drink in the cooler months or sit with a picnic in summer. Where better to enjoy the peace and quiet – and, of course, the view?
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