Timber Clad Extension Updates Traditional Cottage

An architect’s brief is often a challenging one, factoring in issues such as difficult sites, conservation requirements, budget and materials, but every now and again a ‘dream project’ comes along. For Loader Monteith Architects, Strone cottage was just such a project.

Set in rural Newtonmore, the small traditional cottage was nestled into a hillside with mountains on every side, and the clients requested a comfortable but understated retreat that maximised the stunning views of the Cairngorms. The architects and builder Anthony Robison worked on the concept of ‘making openings and pointing them at the view.’

Working closely with the local planning office, the architects created a house of two eras – the original stone cottage and a series of timber-clad extensions. In selecting the cladding, the architects required local materials to maintain the authenticity of the build and to minimise the carbon footprint. Russwood ticked both boxes, offering a high quality product local to Newtonmore.

With the cottage situated in such an exposed site, Russwood’s Thermopine was ideal, offering outstanding dimensional stability, durability and natural texture. The new elements of the home focused on clean, sharp lines, and painting the cladding black allowed for a strong contrast to the neighbouring traditional cottage.

The client said: ‘Russwood are knowledgeable, approachable and tremendously helpful. We will definitely be working with them again and we hope to have some more projects around this area in the years to come. ‘

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