Standing in Chrissie Waller’s beautiful, light-filled kitchen it seems unbelievable that a century ago a horse would have spent its days powering a threshing machine in this same room.
Chrissie and her husband Scott, both 55, bought Home Farm Steading in 1998. Sitting in rolling farmland within the Lunan Valley, the house is roughly equidistant to Forfar, Brechin and Montrose.
Once the steading for the Balgavies Estate, it included a cottage, steading and traditional roundhouse, all dating from around 1890.
The house is built around a courtyard, with three wings – including a self contained three-bedroom cottage.
Chrissie and Scott dramatically overhauled the property after they bought it. The building was stripped back to its bare walls, with new floors, roofs and double glazing installed.
“We really wanted an indoor swimming pool but the plan was to build that last if we had enough money left for it,” Chrissie explains. “The builders said the pool had to go in first or not at all, so we just had to go for it.”
The couple and their three children lived in the original cottage while works were carried out.
Scott, who owns a heating and plumbing company, mucked in with the builders, repointing the exposed stone walls.
Exposed beams give the kitchen fantastic character. Curved walls, a flagstone floor and a central island make it a special space.
The most dramatic room is the dining room with its exposed stone wall, double height vaulted ceiling with skylights, and massive wood burner.
The sitting room links to the kitchen and dining room, giving the downstairs space a nice flow. Four bedrooms including an en suite master run down one wing of the house and back onto the heated swimming pool. Upstairs are two more bedrooms, a games room and shower room.
The gardens are as idyllic as the house, stretching to 1.4 acres and surrounded by fields and woodland.
Home Farm Steading, Balgavies, by Forfar, is on with Savills for o/o £650,000.