Taking pride of place in the upper, vaulted-ceiling hall of Birkenshaw, a one-off home in Tomatin, is a beautifully embroidered wall hanging of Max Ehrmann’s famous prose, Desiderata.
It contains a reminder that: “With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.”
Sewn by owner Graeme Manson’s mother, it reflects nicely the large detached house which sits in a very beautiful and peaceful, part of the world.
Designed to fit snugly into the hillside and take full advantage of the commanding views to the south-west over Strathdearn and the River Findhorn, it’s been home to Graeme, wife Jane and their four sons, now aged 19 to 31, since 2005.
A businessman who previously ran the Tomatin Inn, he has designed and built several local properties previously.
Graeme, 57, collaborated with local award-winning architects Maxwell & Company to come up with the unusual lay-out of the house, Birkenshaw, which has several levels.
“It was the views from here that made me want to build a house on this site, but I wanted one that blended into the landscape and looked natural,” said Graeme.
“We weren’t allowed to build higher than the skyline so created several levels and used natural materials including slate, stone, Siberian larch and oak.
“It not only gives the house a natural look but makes it entirely maintenance free.”
The accommodation on the ground floor includes an entrance hallway, large home office, which could also be used as a sixth bedroom, cloakroom, utility room, and large storage cupboards. The house which, is on the market at offers over £475,000, has masses of storage space.
A short staircase leads to the first floor and opens up to a truly impressive dining hall, with a cathedral-like ceiling and beautifully carved oak trusses, oak flooring and three full-height picture windows offering superb unspoiled views across the glen.
With a dusting of snow on the mountains in the distance and the River Findhorn below, the outlook is postcard-pretty.
From here, a glaze door leads to a terrace while rear windows look on to a small patio area.
A double open door from the dining hall leads into the lounge, an attractive room with vaulted ceiling, picture windows and a feature recessed store fireplace with windows, raised Caithness slate hearth and log-burning stove.
Although it’s a fairly new house, the use of natural stone and trusses add a traditional touch and give the house plenty of character – something Graeme was keen to include.
“Maxwell and Co came up with the design of the house but I tweaked it to add features such as the ceiling trusses and Caithness slate,” said Graeme, who project managed the build of the house which took three years, from breaking ground to moving in.
From the dining hall, there’s access to a kitchen with bespoke units topped with Caithness slate worktop and a host of built-in appliances.
The style of the units and a Rangemaster classic stove create a lovely, country-style kitchen.
From here, there’s access to a lovely conservatory with glazed gable wall and windows on a further two sides offering views to the west and south-west.
“This is one of the rooms we use most and because it has large built-in bench seating you can get a great number of people round the table,” said Graeme.
The next level of the house has a family/TV room with patio doors to the west leading to a large paved terrace.
From here, there’s a separate staircase that leads down to the conservatory, while a half-flight leads to a landing giving access to the master bedroom with en-suite shower room, a second double bedroom and a shower room.
A further short staircase leads to three further double bedrooms, a family bathroom, and two double linen cupboards.
Each double bedroom has built-in wardrobes or cupboards and each has been designed with a semi-private hall as Graeme dislikes long, straight hallways.
The house, which was lovely and cosy on the chilly day I visited, has thermostatically controlled heating while the hot water is provided by ground-source heat pumps supported by heat recovery ventilation and a wood-burning stove, all designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the building.
Outside, there are several terraces and paved areas, each enjoying pleasant views, plus established gardens with mature trees and twin garages which can be accessed directly from the house.
While the location is rural and tranquil, Tomatin is within ideal commuting distance of Inverness.
Graeme, who has lived in the village for more than 30 years, said: “There’s a misconception that Tomatin regularly gets cut off by snow but I can count on one hand the number of times in my time here that’s happened.
“There’s also easy access to the A9 which is partially dualled between here and Inverness.”
The village has a new primary school, shop and village hall which hosts regular community events. Secondary schooling is available at Millburn Academy, Inverness, some 15 miles away.
It’s clear the family love living here, so why are they selling?
“We’ve bought a plot of land next door and are building a new house there as designing and building houses is something I really enjoy,” said Graeme.
Contact: MacArthur & Co on 01463 234445.