Living in part of an already converted school meant Rachel and Rob Hill could focus on the fun finishing touches
WordsKAREN WILSONPhotographyKATIE LEE
After 10 years living in a converted church in the Scottish Highlands, Rachel and Rob Hill were ready for a fresh challenge. ‘We’ve lived in 11 different homes over the years, so this was the longest we’d ever lived anywhere,’ recalls Rachel. ‘But after taking early retirement, we wanted to move a bit further south to be more central for visiting family, including our daughter, who’s a primary school teacher in Glasgow, and our son, who’s a kitchen designer in Inverness.’
With a love of old, characterful buildings, Rachel and Rob were looking to find an architecturally interesting property, but while initially enjoying exploring new parts of the country after widening their search criteria, the couple struggled to find anything they could really imagine living in. Finally, they came across an old Victorian school that had been converted by a small developer in Perthshire, ‘in the perfect location in the middle of Scotland,’ explains Rachel.
Although they’d never set foot in the town before, the couple were drawn to the beautiful surrounding countryside, and as soon as they viewed the property, were smitten. ‘We loved the double height of the large open-plan kitchen, dining and living space,’ recalls Rachel. ‘The huge Crittall-style windows at the front blew us away and it was so thoughtfully designed, with quality flooring throughout. My husband loves cooking and says it’s his dream kitchen, and although I wouldn’t necessarily have chosen all the elements in there, I can see how they’re absolutely perfect for the building.’
With two large guest bedrooms and three bathrooms, there was ample space for their two children to visit, while the south-facing patio was another major plus point. ‘The day we moved in was the hottest on record and we had a really good summer, so it’s already been used a lot,’ says Rachel.
As the couple had sold their previous house fully furnished, they enjoyed buying several new key pieces that would work better in their new home. However, the colour scheme was dictated by existing artwork and treasured possessions, such
