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When retired couple Jim and Frances bought their 1789 stone cottage in Perthshire, Scotland, in 2019, it had last served as the village dental surgery. With its unique history, they inherited a 1970s avocado bathroom and a nasty case of internal rotting. “There was so little of really good quality in it that it meant that it was a nice blank canvas,” says Matt Loader of architecture practice Loader Monteith, who was charged with the house’s renovation and extension.
The Befores
What the historic home did have going for it was a river running through the back of the garden and a deceptively generous footprint. “It looks tiny but it isn’t,” says Loader. But the layout—which Loader likened to walking through a “long, thin corridor”—needed serious reconsideration. His vision was to maintain the front’s cottage feel, and as you make your way through the space, reveal new, contemporary elements.
The Plan
The owners love to host (Loader enjoyed Frances’ home-cooking at every design meeting) so it quickly became obvious that the kitchen should be placed at the heart of the action. “It’s literally and metaphorically in the center of everything,” says Loader of the new space, which is flooded with natural light thanks to a sun-drenched courtyard.
The couple live with Frances’ sister, who has Alzheimer’s, and her wellbeing was in Loader’s mind when designing the house. There are also thoughtful features tailored to the couple’s own advancements into older age. Ahead, the architect explains how he future-proofed the house without compromising its architectural integrity.
A Kitchen With Memories
“There are aspects of the house that are dialed-up for someone with dementia and the kitchen is a really good example,” says Loader. The open cabinets, for instance, reveal the location of pots and pans. “It doesn’t look super-slick, but it means if you can’t remember where something is, the chances are you can see it,” he adds.
The shelves also provide a display spot for trinkets which can be comfortingly familiar to someone living with Alzheimer’s. After installing the green marble countertop, they saved a small off-cut to create a low wheelie-table for the garden.
More Than Just a Landing
Loader decided to optimize a generous spot on the upstairs landing for moments “when people don’t want to come downstairs, or have the ability to.” A custom window seat surrounded by books means Frances and her sister can sit up there and chat. “It’s not a living space—it’s far less formal—but it allows for interaction up there when required,” adds Loader.
A Thoughtful Approach to Privacy
Because the cottage is flanked by a long village hall, the house and garden aren’t completely secluded. To shield Jim and Frances from prying eyes, Loader came up with a couple of ingenious solutions. One is extended trim around their square bedroom window, while directly below it on the ground floor, he framed the patio with a bespoke canopy. Crafted by a local metalworker, the aluminum structure is five feet wide on the hall side and then tapers out. Cut into it are the names of the couple’s grandchildren, and to allow light to pass through, punched holes. “The squares replicate the pattern made by dappled light,” explains Loader. The result is the ultimate “Sitooterie,” a Scottish term for an outdoor seating area.
Stairs with Safety
This isn’t your average wooden staircase: Loader looked at it as an opportunity to add a beautiful object between the living space and the kitchen. For the first ever time in a residential project, he put in nosings on the steps. “That’s to ensure that as they get older, it’s nice and visible and easy enough to travel up and down,” he explains.
Squeezing in Comfort
The footprint of the newly created en-suite bathroom was tight, but a tub was high on the owners’ wishlist. The solution? An Omnitub that is much narrower but deeper than a normal bath (the design is modeled on Japanese soaking tubs). “In a small space it works really well. I would have one in my own house,” laughs Loader.
A Sweet Surprise
Frances had always wanted a vanity in her bedroom, so Loader incorporated one within the wall-to-wall oak cabinets which also form the couple’s closets. “At some point I said to Jim and Frances that it would be really nice if those panels then split in half and ran all the way up to the ceiling,” explains Loader. The couple were game and are now spoiled between the lush scene outside and the cozy grain of the wood when they wake up in the morning.
