CONNECTING OLD WITH NEW
John and Melanie Stott have transformed their Victorian terrace into a family home thanks to a renovation and extension that now offers open-plan living
WORDS CAROLINE EDNIE PHOTOS DAVID BARBOUR
Covid restrictions created challenges for Jonathan and Melanie Stott when they were looking to move house. The couple and their young family had been searching for some time for a long-term home with a garden in Edinburgh, which was not an easy task in the city’s fiercely competitive housing market. They eventually found a beautiful three-storey, six-bedroom late Victorian terraced house, just a short walk from the city centre. “We loved the location, the style and period features of the house,” says Jonathan. “It had been well loved but hadn’t had any major updates for several decades.”
The layout at the back of the property had no connection to the garden. There was a network of little rooms: a kitchen, scullery, coal cellar, pantry, WC and utilities, all blocking views out.
The couple wanted to replace all these rooms with an open-plan living -kitchen-dining area. But to make sure they could transform the house into something that worked for family life, before buying, the couple had conversations with architect Sean Gaule about whether the property had the potential they were after.
Above & right: The transition between original and new spaces has been highlighted by the striking crank steel beams, which required detailed measurements to ensure they slotted together perfectly
FACT FILE
NAM ES John & Melanie Stott LOCATION Edinburgh
TYPE OF PROJ ECT Renovation & extension
STYLE Contemporary extension to Victorian terrace
CONSTR UCTION M ETHOD Timber & steel frame extension
PROJ ECT ROUTE Architect design & main contractor
HOUSE SIZE 257m2 (incl 20m2 2 extension)
PROJ ECT COST £320,000 PROJ ECT COST PER M2 £1,245
BUILDING WORK COMMENCED February 2021
BUILDING WORK TOOK 36 weeks