No.9
An architect-designed house on the Scottish coast offers panoramic views of the Sound of Mull and the most beautiful and welcoming place to live
HOME TRUTHS
THE PROPERTY Detached, architect-designed house
ROOMS Kitchen/living/dining space, galleried central internal courtyard with cinema, library and music room, laundry, cloakroom, four bedrooms, five bathrooms
LOCATION Sound of Mull, west coast of Scotland
EXTERIOR
The house commands spectacular views across the Sound of Mull. Alarge decked area provides the perfect place to enjoy the scenery. Dolphins and whales are frequently spotted in the waters and pine marten visit for scraps. Golden eagles and sea eagles are often overhead, too. Chairs, Adirondack Outdoors
Architect Roderick James and his wife, interior designer Amanda Markham, were enjoying life on the picturesque River Dart in Devon when a series of work projects took Roderick to Scotland. ‘I was engaged on a house development with the Ardtornish Estate on the Sound of Mull,’ he explains of the assignment that would ultimately prove instrumental in the couple’s eventual move 600 miles north. ‘At the time local people were very pessimistic about its chance of success so we bought the first plot to show that we, at least, were confident.’ Their intention was to build a property and rent it out, but, once finished, the couple had a change of heart, sold their Devon home and moved to this remote, wild and beautiful corner of the Scottish coast.
Eagle Rock is a spectacular build that remains sensitive to its setting. It was designed by Roderick to make the most of the panoramic vistas of the Sound of Mull and the vast expanse of nature, while still satisfying a sort of primeval need for protection from the elements in a place where things can quickly take a turn for the worst. ‘Before we started building, the wind and weather shrieked across the plot,’ he says. ‘We wanted a space that felt light, but very enclosed and secure, without being claustrophobic.’
SITTING AREA
Floor-to-ceiling glazing and skylights bring an abundance of light and stunning panoramic views to the living space.
Sofas by French Connection at DFS. Similar aluminium trunk coffee table, Timothy Oulton. Woodburning stove, Scan
The solution was a clever combination of intimacy with open plan. Entry is via a compact lobby on the north elevation that leads directly into a large, light-filled central courtyard with an elliptical glazed roof. A ‘buffer zone’ of small utility spaces, including a larder, laundry and cloakroom, with tiny slit windows, are located to the north side in the outer walls. ‘The north elevation has a
