The owner of a unique £775k cottage in the Perthshire countryside has opened up about what inspired its bold renovation.
Ploughmans Cottage has doubled in size after being transformed from a stone ruin into a contemporary home that perfectly blends old and new.
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom Doune home boasts enviable views across Perthshire and Stirlingshire.
It’s one of three properties to be built on plots of land behind Deanston Steading and is being marketed by Savills.
Simon Dickson’s family has owned the cottage as part of his family’s farm for more than a century.
He told The Times he never even considered demolishing the original cottage to build a new one, as he wanted to “draw on the history and aesthetic of the site”.
He was inspired to renovate the cottage thanks to walks with his children around the farm.
Simon, a director at London architectural design firm Mallett, said: “It was incredibly overgrown with brambles and ivy.
“But its history always intrigued.
“I started to appreciate what a beautiful stone structure it was and what impressive views it has.”
Inside Ploughmans Cottage
The interior is minimalistic with large windows and micro-cement flooring on the ground floor, which has underfloor heating.
There’s an L-shaped open-plan living room with a modern kitchen and dining area.
One wall features salvaged stone from the original cottage.
It has concertina doors which open onto a south-facing terrace and garden.
Downstairs there is also a utility room, WC and study.
Upstairs are four bedrooms and three bathrooms – one of which is a master ensuite.
They all have underfloor heating and the master bedroom also has a dressing room area.
All of the bedrooms and bathrooms are decorated in neutral tones and allow plenty of light in thanks to high ceilings and large windows.
Ploughmans Cottage is reached by a private road and sits on just over half an acre of land, with total privacy thanks to its large surrounding garden.
Meanwhile, a rustic country cottage, only accessible by foot over a railway line, has hit the market in Perthshire.
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