FAMILY HOME
MARIE STORRIE HAS DELIBERATELY USED A CALMING NEUTRAL PALETTE FOR HER HIGHLANDS HOME, KNOWING THAT THE STAR OF THE SHOW IS THE VIEW OUTSIDE
FEATURE ALISON GIBB PLANS RICHARD HOOKWAY
Living area
‘The bi-fold doors can be thrown open on a summer’s day and the woodburner swivels so that family get-togethers can spill out onto the terrace. When everyone is here, we are quite a crowd.’
WARM UNDERFOOT
Wood-effect porcelain tiles add texture and interest as well as working very well with underfloor heating
HOME NOTES
WHO LIVES HERE?
Marie Storrie lives here with her husband Justin, director of a building company and their younger daughters Eden, 10, and Thea, seven, and great dane, Angus. They have three grown-up children, Jordan, Charlie and Austin.
THE PROPERTY
A detached, four-bedroom contemporary self-build in Killiecrankie, Perthshire.
THE LAYOUT
As you enter the hallway of the single-storey house, there’s a large open-plan space on the left, comprising the kitchen, dining and living areas, with a utility room behind. The corridor to the right leads to the four bedrooms – two have en-suite shower rooms – and there’s a family bathroom.
After years of enjoying caravan holidays as a family in the beautiful hills of Perthshire, Marie Storrie started house hunting near the village of Killiecrankie for a place they could settle in. All the properties she looked at in their budget needed a lot of renovation, so when she saw this plot available in a secluded spot in late 2020, she knew it would work for them.
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE LOCAL AREA?
‘Perthshire is only a couple of hours’ drive away from Glasgow and Edinburgh, but once you arrive you feel such a tremendous sense of escape. The landscape is breathtaking, surrounded by hills and forests. We run a family business, which can be intense and can often feel like we are working 24/7, so being able to relax is very important. I love long-distance running and hill walking, so I really enjoy the amazing scenery here and the opportunities for exploring right on our doorstep.’
DID YOU BUY THE PLOT WITH FULL PLANNING PERMISSION?
‘Yes, the seller was an architect; he was selling off areas of his garden to fund his retirement. He had designed three complementary properties, all quite separate and sheltered from each other. This was the one available at the time we were looking, and we liked the design very much. We t
