1960s renovation
The Rowans 1960s modern house in Bridge of Allan, Stirling, Scotland
The Rowans 1960s modern house in Bridge of Allan, Stirling, Scotland, is probably the best before and after you’ll ever see.
I featured the house back in 2018 when it was near derelict. And I’m not just saying that. If you check back on the article from four years ago, you will see exactly what I mean.
Abandoned, in a very sorry state internally and looking like nature was tasking hold outside. As a rule, when I see houses like this, I presume they will be going one way – to be demolished.
But after some ground clearance and a price reduction, it did find a buyer. And luckily for the house (and for anyone looking for a 1960s modern house in the area), that buyer was interior designer Suzi Carr, who has devoted pretty much every day since bringing this house back to its best. And as you can see from the current crop of photos, it really does look a treat. A million miles away from the house of 2018.
The Rowans was built in 1968 by noted local architect Archie Ferguson for his own use, with the house sitting on land that originally belonged to the large house behind Coney Hill House.
Archie lived until the ripe old age of 95, maintaining the house to his original design, and as such, despite the condition, it was still a house that packed plenty of original details when it went onto the market for the very first time.
But that condition was an issue and likely scared off many potential buyers. It takes a brave person to take on something like this with the intention of bringing it back to its former glory.
To give you an idea, there were ‘rats nests in all the kitchen drawers’ and all the insulation, buckets were everywhere for the rain coming through the roof, and the smell was something you don’t want to imagine. As I said, the exterior was in a poor state, too and the land around, whilst cleared, wasn’t exactly a selling point.
But the original shell was there. So all the original teak floorboards, a mahogany staircase, timber ceilings and elm wood panelling, for example.
Of course, not everything survived, so all the windows had to be replaced (with something akin to the originals), and the bathrooms and kitchen were completely replaced too.
That garden? It eventually took two years to clear it, landscape it and plant it. Yes, two years working on the garden alone.
Pretty much back-breaking work for the period of time since the sale, and it seems to have taken its toll on the new owner, who is incredibly sad to leave but feels it might now be time for a fresh start and a new challenge.
But that means this dream of a house is looking for a new owner. So if you are on the hunt for something modern or midcentury modern in this part of the world and with a fresh renovation in place, this might be the house for you.
The images tell the story here. Restored to its best by an interior designer with a keen eye for the era. But this isn’t just a pastiche of the era. Far from it. The owner has created a home that maintains those original details and adds in new ones inspired by the era.
Not just that, new additions and upgrades mean this isn’t some kind of 1960s museum. This is a modern house for the modern era. And offering a good amount of space both inside and out.
A bridge leads to the front door and a glimpse into the entrance hall through a glazed door and window. To the left of the hall, with its white painted brick and exposed timber ceiling, is a WC and kitchen.
I love the kitchen too. One of those modern-day additions, it has pink base units and a central island topped with marble countertops, open shelves and a freestanding fridge/ freezer. Large windows overlook the gardens, with a view over the rooftops of Bridge of Allan. A pantry is also accessed from the kitchen.
The open-plan living room and dining room is a lovely space, with more exposed brick walls on one side and floor-to-ceiling double-glazed windows framing views over the town. Original teak flooring connects the dining and living areas, whilst an open fireplace provides another focal point.
That home working essential of an office is here too, with elm wall panelling and dual aspect windows. A ‘cosy’ sitting room sits off the office and features two large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the garden.
The mahogany staircase is still in place and leads down to the ground floor. There are four bedrooms there, one being en-suite, with two shower units also on the floor.
At one end of the hallway is the principal bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe, en-suite shower room, and three large windows overlooking the garden and patio areas ( one of the windows is a patio door leading outside).
The three other bedrooms have large windows, and two of the bedrooms have fitted wardrobes. At the other end of the hallway is a utility room with a boiler cupboard and rear door access to the garden.
The garden is a million miles away from the one I saw in 2018. In fact, that was after it had been cleared too!
The new garden features a paved patio area overlooking the pond, which creates a ‘relaxing environment’. Beyond that is a large decked area.
Landscaped borders run around the property to the east side, where the lawn extends to the stone boundary walls. A reinforced wall runs along the north boundary of the property, where it meets the road. To the south of the gardens, a gate leads down a few steps to the carport, currently used for storage.
So a lot of house, inside and out. If you are interested in The Rowans 1960s modern house in Bridge of Allan, you need to move fast as offers are being invited until the end of next week. Talking of offers, the house is up fortress over £600,000.
Images and details courtesy of Savills. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.