THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE / FEATURE PROPERTY
Page 15
A scaled down taste of the past – apartment living Georgian style in Kelso
Houses built during the Georgian era have a timeless simplicity that is far removed from the ornate embellishments of the later Victorian period. The Georgian period is synonymous with elegance and a commitment to quality and attention to detail – an age associated with elegant room proportions, high ceilings, and large – often full height and astragalled – windows with wooden shutters to maximise the light. Luckily, as many of the grander mansion houses of the time have been converted to form smaller, more manageable properties, it’s possible to experience living in a period setting without incurring all the costs that would go with it. Standing within beautiful landscaped garden grounds, Broomlands House in Kelso is a perfect example, an impressive C-listed, four-storey Georgian mansion with a typically symmetrical facade and chimney stacks. Sympathetically converted by a local Borders property developer in the mid 1980s, it now comprises six very unique apartment properties. Not all, however, are apartments in the usual sense.
Number two is a versatile property with accommodation spread over two floors and a layout that could almost provide a self-contained basement granny/student flat or guest accommodation. On the ground floor level, accessed via a communal entrance hall shared with one other property, a substantial original front door leads into a well proportioned hall, off which is an elegant 22ft drawing/dining room with almost full height dual aspect shuttered windows. This room is the epitome of Georgian style and would be a beautiful backdrop for period-style furniture, including larger pieces. There is a good-sized fitted dining kitchen with integrated electric hob and oven, washing machine, fridge (all included) and a beautiful floor-to-ceiling window that allows sunshine to spill into the room. Also on the ground floor is a large double bedroom, again with a floor-to-ceiling shuttered window, and a shower room, the latter with scope for modernisation. Ivory carpeting extends throughout this level to give visual continuity.
A carpeted staircase in the hall leads down to a basement landing, off which is a spacious double bedroom, another larger still bedroom with a front facing bay window that could make a second sitting room, a box room/study, and a surprisingly spacious bathroom. It’s worth noting that both bath/shower rooms and the kitchen are perfectly functional but dated and in need of modernisation, which is reflected in an asking price £20,000 below home report valuation. In addition, the lower floor has access to a large shared storage area, shared drying room, and private storeroom, while original coach doors open into a cobbled yard.
2 Broomlands House, Kelso, TD5 7PR
Broomlands has beautifully landscaped gardens and common areas, including a graveled driveway and generous parking area for residents and guests, all maintained and managed by a factoring company. There is also a garage with this property and the whole house is in good condition and well maintained – the most recent improvement being a new flight of external steps. Situated on the edge of Kelso, Broomlands enjoys a very quiet setting yet is within walking distance (around 15 minutes) from the town centre and closer still to Broomlands Primary School.
Guide Price £190,000 Details on page 43