Inside a converted 19th century coach house in Midlothian

The rural setting and traditional character of The Coach House were an inspiration to the city couple who have made it their own.

Seven years ago, Laura and David Holton were looking for a change of lifestyle when they went property hunting.

The couple had been living in a tenement flat in Edinburgh, and they wanted some outdoor space and a quieter environment.

The small hamlet of Polton in the Midlothian village of Lasswade wasn’t their first destination.

Picture: Knight Frank

“We’d looked at quite a lot of places and hadn’t been thinking about this area,” says Laura.

But that changed when the couple viewed The Coach House at Mavisbank on a warm August day.

“We sat in the garden with the lady who owned it and had a cup of coffee, and we knew this was it. It’s like a rural idyll, so absolutely tranquil, yet also so close to everything.”

With its almost bucolic setting close to the banks of the River North Esk, The Coach House offered Laura and David just what they had been looking for, but the accessibility of this location was also an important factor in the couple’s decision to move here as Lasswade is just seven miles south of Edinburgh’s city centre.

There’s even a rail link to the capital from nearby Eskbank.

The property forms part of a traditional steading dating from 1840 which was once the coach house and dairy for Mavisbank House.

Picture: Knight Frank

As well as the setting, Laura and David were attracted by the character of this period home, from the original stone staircase to the sash and case windows with shutters, and the timber panelled doors and working fireplaces.

“Every room has something a bit different and unique,” says Laura.

The openness of this interior was also a key feature for the couple.

On the ground floor, the sitting room leads into the dining room and double doors open from this space into the sun room – a Mozolowski & Murray conservatory that was installed by the previous owner.

Picture: Knight Frank

Both the sun room and the sitting room lead into the large dining-kitchen, and this space leads to a smaller drawing room.

There’s also a large bathroom and a WC on this level, while upstairs there are three bedrooms and a shower room, with a landing area that’s big enough to double as a study space.

The Coach House had been well looked after by its previous owner, so the Holtons only needed to make aesthetic changes that would put their own stamp on the house, which included redesigning the kitchen and the bathroom and shower room.

Picture: Knight Frank

In the kitchen, Laura took her design cues from the age and style of the house and the navy Aga in situ.

“We’d never had an Aga before, and we had a couple of disasters in the early days as we’d put things in and then forget about them,” she recalls.

“But now we love cooking with it, and the kitchen feels like a cosy space in winter with the Aga on, so we wanted to make sure that this was still the focal point.

“To be light and bright, we chose Silestone work surfaces and then added a Belfast sink to tie in with the more traditional nature of the house.”

The Shaker-style cabinets are timber inside as well, with a corner unit and deep pan drawers providing lots of storage.

A separate wooden dresser enhances the “country kitchen” feel of this space.

Picture: Knight Frank

In the bathroom, the couple retained the existing bath, basin and toilet (as they were all high quality) but updated the shower and added timber panelling around the walls, reflecting the look of traditional tongue and groove panelling.

The large profile floor tiles have underfloor heating, so the roomy bathroom is never going to feel cold.

“I’ve always used Farrow & Ball paint,” says Laura, “but we hadn’t used this grey palette before.

"I wanted something that wasn’t too stark in the bathroom – a more muted palette, especially as you come out the bathroom into the hallway with the stone stair, so it all flows nicely.”

The couple were mindful to retain the original features when decorating, so the internal doors and shutters are still in their lovely bare wood.

And even the décor Laura inherited had an influence on her choices.

Picture: Knight Frank

“In our living room we have a colour palette that I wouldn’t have thought about initially,” she says, “but we were guided by the racing green wood-burning stove that was already here, so we’ve gone for mossy greens and purples and greys, with a Harris Tweed sofa and woollen tartan curtains.”

The couple added a second wood-burner to the dining room and headed to auctions looking for older pieces of furniture that would fit well with the style here.

Picture: Knight Frank

The Coach House has evolved over the past few years since the arrival of Sophie, now three, and Benjamin, nine months old, and Laura has appreciated the layout in a new way.

“I can be pottering around and the kids can be in the conservatory and I can still keep an eye on them when I’m in the kitchen,” she says.

“Also, we love entertaining and having people round, and quite often there’ll be people in the kitchen, others in the conservatory and the sitting room, and then others in the drawing room alongside the kitchen, and there’s space for everybody.”

The Coach House is now on the market and Laura acknowledges how much the family will miss not only the house but also the garden, which the couple have also worked on to make it more family friendly.

Picture: Knight Frank

“Once we had Sophie we wanted the garden to be secure, but also to be a big space to run around in,” she says.

And then there’s the wider locale with riverside walks on the doorstep. “We’ve always said that whenever you come home, it’s almost like you’re arriving at a holiday cottage,” says Laura.

“As soon as you turn off the road you come to a different space and you relax. All you can hear are the birds and maybe the river.”

From the period character to the sense of tranquillity that comes with this location, it’s easy to understand why the Holtons were sold on this property during that first visit back in August 2011.

Now, it’s time for someone else to enjoy the peace and quiet, and the character that The Coach House has to offer.

Picture: Knight Frank

The Coach House is for sale at offers over £480,000 with contact Knight Frank.

Words: Fiona Reid