Kyle House sits in solitude, nearly two miles from the nearest village, at the southern end of the Kyle of Tongue estuary in the Highlands. A former drover’s cottage, it is a uniquely Scottish dwelling with a Scandinavian sensibility.
In the living room a fireplace and window nook have views of the ever-changing tidal estuary that runs through sandbanks to the North Atlantic
The structure, which dates from the early 1800s, is believed to have been built using stone salvaged from the nearby Iron-Age Dun Mhaigh roundhouse.
Muted tones and soft textures create a calm and sophisticated living space
It had been derelict for years when it was bought by Danish power couple Anne Storm Pedersen and Anders Holch Povlsen. The pair own several international fashion retail businesses (including Vero Moda and Jack & Jones, as well as being major shareholders in Asos). They also run Wildland (wildland.scot), a conservation project that’s restoring the Scottish landscape, planting thousands of trees and reintroducing native flower and plant species to the area.
The uncomplicated, functional dining area is illuminated with a plain paper lantern
The house, which was windowless on three sides and had an asbestos roof, was meticulously restored using traditional materials and techniques by award-winning Scottish architects Gras, along with Danish interior designer Ruth Kramer, local builder Ewen MacRae and a host of other specialist craftspeople.
The house is simply furnished, with clean lines and natural materials. There is nothing fussy or unnecessary in the design
The small, humble-looking building cleverly conceals a contemporary interior. New living spaces were made by placing oak inserts – almost like giant boxes – into the shell of the original stone structure. All the windows – many of them new – have views over the wild landscape beyond.
Space is given in equal measure to sleeping, eating, living and bathing. The bathtub is positioned perfectly to deliver views of the Highlands
Everything was constructed incorporating stone, oak, lime plaster, brass, leather and glass. Technology is used only where it supports easy and efficient living in the house.
Bespoke oak joinery frames views of the wild landscape beyond
The kitchen looks out over the dramatic four-peaked Ben Loyal, known as ‘the Queen of Scottish mountains’, and while having a soak in the bathtub upstairs you can you take in the Highland scenery in all its glory.
The stone used to create the original building was thought to have been salvaged from the nearby Iron-Age Dun Mhaigh roundhouse
In the cosy living room, next to the fireplace, a window-seat reading nook looks out towards the sea and the Kyle of Tongue. There is attention to detail throughout, from the carefully crafted Danish oak kitchen to the bespoke joinery, all in a quiet, natural palette. This creates a unique one-bedroom hideaway (kyle.scot) celebrating the best of Scottish and Scandinavian style.
This is an edited extract from A Place in Scotland by Banjo Beale (Quadrille, £35). To order a copy for £29.75 with free delivery until 13 October, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937
