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ntonia was already living in East Lothian when she came across a property in the popular beach resort of Gullane in 2018. “Stewart and I were looking to buy somewhere together, and I spotted this online,” Antonia recalls. “To be honest I initially sent it to Stewart as a bit of a joke, as it was a massive refurb project.” ith five bedrooms and our bathrooms, the


property had previously been run as a bed and breakfast, and was substantial. However, as the couple have five children between them, it soon became an attractive proposition for their blended family, and Antonia and Stewart took a more serious look and put in an offer which was accepted.


hile Stewart has his own financial advisory company in Edinburgh, Antonia is mainly home-based, working as a life coach. As well as working as a family home, the property also had to accommodate study and work space as and when required.


“It was such a light and airy house upstairs, and we loved it. We had to refurbish the cupola and rethink the layout, but there wasn’t too much to do.” Downstairs however was a different story. At the front of the house, there were two reception rooms and a conservatory on the side, but at the rear it was more of a mish mash, with a kitchen, WC, utility room and connecting garage. “Downstairs was very dark; the kitchen was tiny or a house o this sie and there were five doors leading off it; it simply didn’t work.” The couple needed professional advice and enlisted the help of Iain Shillady at Staran Architects in Edinburgh. “We had a clear vision of what we wanted,” Antonia recalls. “Then Staran came on board and brought it to life with some great suggestions. Having a good architect is instrumental. We ound Staran first, and they recommended the


68 www.sbhonline.co.uk


“We were incredibly fortunate with our timings. The builders said we’d be in for Christmas, and we moved in on Boxing Day,” Antonia Siegel


builders (Apex Building Contracts) and also the landscape gardeners, Morrison Ground Care.” Antonia and Stewart were keen to ensure that the spaces they already had worked harder by reconfiguring the layout, but Iain also proposed removing the old conservatory and extending out the back and side of the house. This would create a new open plan kitchen/dining/living space and by replacing the garage they could make an entire new back of house area which would incorporate a WC, utility room, study and boot room. “Iain came up with some good ideas for the study and closing doors off to the utility and garage – things we would never have thought of, but that really make the spaces work better.”


Upstairs, it was a simpler affair and all about making sure the bedroom and bathroom ratio worked. One of the smaller bedrooms was turned into a family bathroom, with a further bathroom becoming a dressing room and ensuite for the principal bedroom.


sep/oct 2022


HIGH POINT


“The end of the build; when it all came together. It really exceeded all our expectations.”


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