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Uniquely different, a detached family home near Duns makes a statement in terms of size, style and setting
Hammerhall Smiddy is a complete one-off; a modern house located in the small rural hamlet of Blanerne in Berwickshire that is so strikingly different it sent its present owners, Pippa and Peter McGuigan, into a tailspin of desire before the house had even been completed. “We had been looking for an older property, not a new build, when we saw this house in 2009,” says Pippa. “It wasn’t quite finished and the outside hadn’t been touched, let alone landscaped, but what wowed us was the setting, the fantastic views, and the uniqueness of the design, particularly the dramatic kitchen/dining/day room that is the centrepiece of this home. And although we bought it as a holiday home, we loved it so much it has been our full-time home for the last seven years,” she adds.
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Hammerhall Smiddy, Blanerne
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WHEN YOU’RE BUYING OR SELLING PROPERT Y . . . IT HAS TO BE BSPC
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Hammerhall Smiddy, Blanerne
Pippa and Peter have since had the 1.25-acre site professionally landscaped to incorporate a sweeping driveway and decked terraces to the front and rear, in addition to lawns and planted areas – all designed to maximise glorious open views of the surrounding countryside and its abundant wildlife, which includes deer and brown hares. The couple have also made their mark internally, by installing front and rear dormer windows and turning the first floor area – originally intended as a playroom – into a stunning master bedroom suite with dual aspect views, en suite shower room and dressing room with built-in storage.
Featured Property Hammerhall Smiddy, Blanerne, Berwickshire, TD11 3PZ
Offers Around £475,000 • Details on: Page 9
From the exterior the house appears to be a fairly ordinary L-shaped bungalow with a semi-circular conservatory spanning the join between the two sections. The 20ft wide conservatory makes an impressive first impression – and being glazed on all sides with a partly glazed vaulted roof, makes a bright and very attractive sitting/garden room.
In fact, the conservatory is actually spanning two of three sections in what is essentially a Y-shaped design. The base of the ‘Y’ houses a study and 22ft wide formal lounge; another wing houses an inner hallway leading to the family bathroom and three large double bedrooms (all with built-in storage, while one also has an en suite shower room); while the third houses a utility, cloakroom and door into the integral double garage.
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“It wasn’t quite finished and the outside hadn’t been touched, let alone landscaped, but what wowed us was the setting, the fantastic views, and the uniqueness of the design” All three sections feed into the visually striking central space that is the kitchen/dining/day room, an astonishing area spanning some 30ft by 27ft with grey tile-effect Karndean flooring, white walls and a vaulted ceiling with a glazed cupola at its apex. The kitchen work area is fitted with a range of quality oak-fronted units with glass splashbacks and integrated unit lighting – there is also an island breakfast bar – leaving plenty of space for dining furniture and informal seating. Other notable features include the fireplace in the lounge, a substantial inglenook design housing a wood-burning stove – and topped by a mantel comprising a single piece of wood that came from Manderson House in Duns. Wood is a recurring feature throughout in door and window frames, architraves and skirting – and the flooring in both the lounge and conservatory is solid oak. A staircase in the study leads up to bedroom four, the master suite, a superb double bedroom lit by dual aspect Velux windows, off which are en suite facilities – dressing room and shower room – each housing a dormer window.
Hammerhall Smiddy is an exceptional home that combines unique style points in a truly delightful rural and completely private setting, yet is also conveniently close to both Duns and Chirnside, while commuters have the added benefit of the East Coast rail service at Berwick upon Tweed, only 10 miles from the house
Size & Style
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