My Old Millhouse Journey – The House | Edinburgh, Scotland

This is my Old Millhouse restoration story -how the house found me, and how we brought her back to life.

I am always asked by my clients how my journey came about restoring the house. Well, she and I have quite a history – we’ve been together now for 13 years. I seem to refer to her as a “she” – not sure why, maybe because we’ve both been on a challenging journey through the years.

Discovering The Old Millhouse in 2012

We met in 2012 on a beautiful Scottish June day. Having seen the house on the internet and not having the patience to wait on the agent it was time to explore – and explore it was! There was no access as the driveway was knee-high in rubbish, weeds, rocks and debris – completely impassable. I had my Son and my late Mum with me, we found a hole in the boundary wall which we climbed through., and there she was “Sally,” Mum said, “you have to buy this!”

There stood the house – windows boarded up, stone walls in a terrible state, trees fallen around her, nothing much left of a roof, trees growing out of what remained of a chimney. But oh my, what a house! She was magnificent even in this condition.

My Mum and my son went exploring, fighting their way through waist-high weeds, grass, and fallen trees, eventually finding the River Esk calmly wrapping its way around the perimeter. We sat and made a plan.

I was married at the time, though alas that relationship has not lasted – but that’s another story. Our offer was accepted and renovations began. Keeping the layout simple, spaces and rooms were created with natural light as the most important consideration. Incorporating modern and old décor was a must. I think the most impressive and successful element is the contemporary glass staircase – not what you expect when you step in the front door of this 1703 building.

The Renovation Begins

Renovation took two years and was exciting, stressful, and emotional.

Interiors were designed incorporating my Chinese antique furniture from my shop in Dubai and fabrics were sourced from Silkland, a fantastic fabric shop in Dubai. Everything was shipped over, with some items being lifted through windows on a crane as our staircase was a tad too narrow! With many trips to auctions and second-hand shops, hours scouring eBay, the drawing room fireplace an eBay purchase ! 17 bits of stone arrived on a pallet, reconstructed by our amazing stone mason. The interiors came together, combining a Scottish feel with my life’s collection of fabrics and furnishings.

Turning a House into a Scottish Retreat

Then came the discussion to start my business. I knew my house would make the perfect Scottish holiday retreat and so it has, the house is enjoyed not only by my family but also so many lovely visitors from all over the world.

This old gal is very special. Our builder said if we had not saved her, the next winter her walls would have collapsed and that would be her gone forever.

And the rest, as they say, is history.