Press : Scotland on SundayJournal

In many cases the architecture of a building plays second fiddle to the interior design but at Westside Woodshed it’s been well and truly embraced.

“As a family we’ve always liked sharing our little glen with holiday makers. It’s such a brilliant location and we thought with Westside we could offer people a different experience of The Pentlands. Lots of people walk them but at Westside you can stay in them.

For the Woodshed “we were inspired by some of the amazing cabins you get in Scandinavia, we liked the idea of a practical building that can withstand the elements but at the same time a building that brings the outside in so that you’re aware of the building’s surroundings. In the previous Westside you hardly noticed the beautiful views outside because it was a traditional cottage with small windows which was trying to keep the weather out. This new property is in the exact position as the old one but you’re acutely aware of what is on your doorstep – the hills and the views and it really takes advantage of where you are."

“From the palette of materials that we chose we wanted to create something modern and simple but very much of the landscape. We chose timber that will weather to silver and used muted colour tones. We’ve incorporated traditional dry stane dykes, kept existing trees but also planted new ones. Whilst the woodshed is very modern in many of its aspects it is respectful of its landscape and actually the exterior follows quite a simple, almost traditional, Scottish cottage vernacular."

The result is a simple and sharp design over one and half storeys. The ground floor houses an open plan, double height kitchen, living and dining area along with a sleek, modern shower room and upstairs on the mezzanine level is a cosy bedroom under the eaves...