The clever reinvention of a former bed and breakfast has given the Siegels a stylish and contemporary home for their blended family in south east Scotland
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Antonia was already living in East Lothian when she came across a property in the popular beach resort of Gullane in 2018. “Stewart and I were looking to buy somewhere together, and I spotted this online,” Antonia recalls. “To be honest I initially sent it to Stewart as a bit of a joke, as it was a massive refurb project.”
With five bedrooms and four bathrooms, the property had previously been run as a bed and breakfast, and was substantial. However, as the couple have five children between them, it soon became an attractive proposition for their blended family, and Antonia and Stewart took a more serious look and put in an offer which was accepted.
While Stewart has his own financial advisory company in Edinburgh, Antonia is mainly home-based, working as a life coach. As well as working as a family home, the property also had to accommodate study and work space as and when required.
“It was such a light and airy house upstairs, and we loved it. We had to refurbish the cupola and rethink the layout, but there wasn’t too much to do.” Downstairs however was a different story. At the front of the house, there were two reception rooms and a conservatory on the side, but at the rear it was more of a mish mash, with a kitchen, WC, utility room and connecting garage.
“Downstairs was very dark; the kitchen was tiny for a house of this size and there were five doors leading off it; it simply didn’t work.” The couple needed professional advice and enlisted the help of Iain Shillady at Staran Architects in Edinburgh. “We had a clear vision of what we wanted,” Antonia recalls. “Then Staran came on board and brought it to life with some great suggestions. Having a good architect is instrumental. We found Staran first, and they recommended the builders (Apex Building Contracts) and also the landscape gardeners, Morrison Ground Care.”
Antonia and Stewart were keen to ensure that the spaces they already had worked harder by reconfiguring the layout, but Iain also proposed removing the old conservatory and extending out the back and side of the house. This would create a new open plan kitchen/dining/living space and by replacing the garage they could make an entire new back of house area which would incorporate a WC, utility room, study and boot room. “Iain came up with some good ideas for the study and closing doors off to the utility and garage – things we would never have thought of, but that really make the spaces work better.”
Upstairs, it was a simpler affair and all about making sure the bedroom and bathroom ratio worked. One of the smaller bedrooms was turned into a family bathroom, with a further bathroom becoming a dressing room and ensuite for the principal bedroom.
This revised layout also meant that one side of the house now feels more akin to a guest suite, which is perfect for when Antonia’s parents come to stay and need some privacy.
“It’s not a small house,” architect Iain explains. “However, as with many houses of this age, the kitchens don’t do them justice. Antonia and Stewart wanted practicality and the back of house areas were as important as the main living spaces. There were several awkward nooks, especially in the study and boot room, which weren’t used – we tried to make them work better and give them a proper purpose.”
Design aims
Iain’s aim with the extension was not only to give his clients sociable family space inside, but also a better connection to the garden. “We were lucky we had screening from next door with a wall of hedging so we could maximise the natural light without forfeiting their privacy.”
When it came to the look of the renovation, Antonia and Stewart also had several ideas. “We wanted to blend the old and the new; we wanted it to be warm and welcoming and also a little bit out there! The flat I lived in previously was white and beach-themed; it felt like it needed something quite different.”
This is best demonstrated in the new extension which not only blends the old and new parts of the house but also the traditional with the contemporary. “We were keen to expose the original brickwork,” Antonia recalls. “This is what the house looked like externally when it was first built before it was covered in the white render.”
Iain continues: “The decision to remove the render was a ‘suck it and see’ moment as we didn’t know what the original stone would be like underneath. However, I think the exposed stone with the steel looks industrial but without taking it too far. It’s a look that should stand the test of time. It’s not necessary to pepper a space with architectural statements and go over the top, one or two well-thought-through moments work just as well.”
Iain admits that there’s always a dilemma as to how contemporary to go when attaching to older buildings and whether to create a really big contrast or tie something in. “Here the issue was to get the roof to work as it turns the corner which posed several structural challenges. We had to make space in the original building without compromising its character. Working with what’s there and adopting a less is more approach is often better.”
Iain was also conscious of how the changes to the property would fit in the existing landscape as he explains: “Initially, we had proposed a large picture window to the front, but planning wouldn’t allow it. We had to really think about the presence of the property on the road and where we were taking views. I think we’ve managed to create a lovely big space that isn’t vast. It’s in the right place on the plot – it’s tucked away from the road and it’s private.”
The family didn’t stay in the property while the work was being carried out and thanks to their builders it was a relatively smooth process. “We were lucky we found Apex Building Contracts who were recommended by Staran, and they were fantastic. They kept us well informed, and the end result is pretty much how we envisioned it.” Indeed, the only thing that came as a bit of a surprise was the scale of the extension. “We knew it would be big but not this big. Even when we went to the kitchen designer, they pointed out that we had more than enough room for a sofa and a fire. There’s a lot in here but it still feels really spacious.”
Interiors
Incorporating the kitchen, dining room, a seating area, snug and pool table, in reality it’s a huge space which thanks to clever positioning of the pillars and the changing roof levels, doesn’t feel vast but rather that each area has a purpose which is clearly defined, and which flows effortlessly into the next.
Furnishing this area did take some dedication however, and Antonia turned to the internet and created a Pinterest board. “The Pinterest board was a huge help and not just for furniture. We showed ours to the builders so they could see what we were talking about, and it made communication so much easier. Having a clear vision helps everyone.”
Shopping around was also one of Antonia’s strengths and she’s not afraid to ask for a discount, either. “What’s the worst they can say? It’s always worth the ask, even in shops.” The concrete dining table which she found on Instagram wasn’t a bargain find but when it takes 8 people to put it in place that’s not surprising. The sofas came from Cox & Cox, Loaf and John Lewis, and much of the lighting was from Wayfair.
“We spent hours on Pinterest and designed the whole house from the board.” The boot room was completely inspired by Pinterest and is now Antonia’s favourite room. Antonia has allocated everyone in the house a locker in the boot room, and although the lockers don’t have doors there’s a shelf top and bottom with hanging space in the middle. “We all play sport, and it was so messy in there and this deals with the kit. Everything is dumped here but it’s out of sight, and now it’s not all at the bottom of the stairs.”
When it came to colour schemes, fortunately Stewart and Antonia have similar tastes and a neutral backdrop was the way to go. “Especially in the extension we just felt white would accentuate the grey beams, and complement the stone. Elsewhere in the house I maybe should have used a few more paint testers before I went all out, but I only repainted one room.”
With the layout and interiors now to their liking, the couple shifted their focus to the exterior facade and gardens. Subtle changes such as replacing the gravel with paving at the front of the hundred-year-old property and the more drastic choice to change the roof colour from traditional red to black bring the property firmly into the 21st century.
At the rear of the property the generous grounds have also been given a substantial makeover. “The garden was mature, and traditional. We wanted something low maintenance and contemporary.” Like the house, the garden was substantial in size and needed professional attention and Staran recommended Morrison Ground Care. “We definitely needed landscaping assistance and I’m so pleased with how it’s turned out.”
A large slate patio area was introduced creating an outdoor dining space immediately outside the extension with a built-in timber and stone seating area and stone fire pit located further away from the house. The bricks that were removed between the utility room and the garage were used to build the walls outside.
“We were incredibly fortunate with our timings. The builders said we’d be in for Christmas, and we moved in on Boxing Day. We had just finished snagging, and lockdown was announced. And although the garden was like a bombsite at that point, it actually gave us time to observe the garden properly before we did any work on it.”
Like many families during lockdown, having their own outdoor space was a huge bonus and one of the things the family did decide during lockdown was to add a summer house at the end of the garden. “It’s now full of exercise equipment, and it’s been a brilliant addition.”
This two-year renovation has certainly had a lot of boxes to tick but the couple’s checklist is now complete. “I would totally do it again. It was so satisfying; it’s been a lovely sense of achievement and it just works so well for us.” Work hard, play hard and be a little bit out there – this former B&B does it all.
HIGH POINT
“The end of the build; when it all came together. It really exceeded all our expectations.”
LOW POINT
“Coming back week after week to see the property being pulled apart. It felt like we were going backwards for a long time before it went forwards.”
CONTACTS/SUPPLIERS
ARCHITECT
Staran Architects
BUILDER
Apex Building Contracts
KITCHEN
Tom Howley
LANDSCAPING
Morrison Ground Care
07854 220259