Climbing the rockface

Keith and Mairi O’Connor’s new build home, inspired by Japanese pavilions and the surrounding Scottish landscape, is all about creating a place where they can enjoy the beautiful Lochaber sea views

WORDS CAROLINE EDNIE PHOTOS DAVID BARBOUR

Keith and Mairi were keen to create a house that blended well with the natural surroundings

THE O’CONNOR FILE

NAMES Keith & Mairi O’Connor

OCCUPATIONS Retired executive & retired charity worker

LOCATION Lochaber

TYPE OF PROJECT Self build

STYLE Contemporary

CONSTRUCTION METHOD Timber frame

PLOT SIZE 1.5 hectares

LAND COST Already owned

HOUSE SIZE 200m²

PROJECT COST £315,000

PROJECT COST PER M2 £1,575

TOTAL COST £315,000

VAT RECLAIM £6,300

BUILDING WORK COMMENCED September 2012

BUILDING WORK TOOK 18 months

CURRENT VALUE £450,000

Settling on where to put down roots following retirement wasn’t a particularly difficult decision for Keith and Mairi O’Connor. The couple were lucky enough to already own a two hectare site on the picturesque Lochaber coast, where Keith had holidayed since his youth, as they had purchased a tranche of land here from a friend some years previously. The pair had brought their own family to the area for breaks, too, staying in a neighbouring static caravan. So all-in-all, the choice of location for their new house was a bit of a no brainer.

“This is a beautiful setting, with open vistas across Loch Ailort and spectacular sea views towards the isles of Eigg and Rum,” says Mairi. “It was always our aim to build a long-term home here – although it was a bit of a gamble, as there was no planning permission in place.”

Despite this potential stumbling block, the couple had spent years collecting ideas. “Keith’s job in the oil industry has taken us all over the world, from Southeast Asia through to Houston and Caracas,” says Mairi. “We’ve lived in so many houses and taken a lot from those experiences, but the main idea for our new place stemmed from the ticking of the clock. Fortunately, we have similar tastes – and we were keen to create something that had a single storey, with wide corridors and no stairs.”