readers’ homes

Kevin Adams and Lucy Miller gutted an old stone building on their family’s farmland to transform it into a beautiful new home

WORDS CAROLINE EDNIE

PHOTOS DAVID BARBOUR

Kevin Adams and Lucy Miller decided to leave their home and architectural practice in Edinburgh and relocate to Lucy’s family farm in East Lothian. However, the couple faced a fairly major obstacle in that there was no suitable accommodation on the working farm that could comfortably meet their needs and those of their two teenage children.

“My family have been on Ferrygate Farm, a 500 acre arable farm, since 1905, and owned it since the 1940s,” says Lucy. “Farms traditionally suffer from the problem of the next generation being closely involved in the family business but not having anywhere to live closeby. As there’s only one main house, which my dad lives in, other generations have to live away from the farm.”

Cottage revision

When Lucy became involved in establishing a poultry business on the farm, they looked around to see what the existing cottages and steadings could offer. An original late 19th century stone gardener’s cottage, which had been rented out for a number of years, offered the best potential for a family home. However, it was small, with only two rooms, and didn’t offer much in the way of modern amenities. Kevin and Lucy put together plans to transform the property into a comfortable, contemporary family home. The original building would be gutted into one large living, kitchen and dining area, the existing 1930s extension converted into a guest wing, featuring an ensuite bedroom, and an extension would house the bedroom wing.