Meditative escapes
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Agape Destinations
Kyle House Sutherland, Scotland
EN The windswept Scotland Highlands are beloved for
their rugged landscape, picturesque vistas and wild flora.
Those who choose to venture to this majestic yet desolate
part of the world do so for its quiet, restorative isolation
and disconnection from the travails of modern life. When
the Kyle House’s owners first came across the remnants
of a 19th-century stone cottage in Kyle of Tongue, a sea
inlet on Scotland’s northwest coast, despite its extremely
dilapidated state they endeavored to transform the
crumbling ruin into a tranquil weekend escape.
They called on Swiss interior designer Ruth Kramer
and Edinburgh-based architecture firm GRAS to bring
the cottage to life. It took over three years to restore
the stone structure, partly due to the discovery of a rare
type of bat in the building’s roof, and partly because of
the intricacy of the construction project. The resulting two-
story gabled house is composed largely of traditional local
materials such as Caithness stone, lime plaster, and slate.
Calling on the expertise of local craftsmen, the designers
were able to revive the soul of the ancient house while still
creating a thoroughly contemporary escape.
Inside, oak-lined walls ensure the heavy stone
structure remains warm and inviting, while large windows
with built-in daybeds were designed to frame dramatic
panoramas of the Caledonian hills. Indeed, views were
an essential consideration — even in the bathroom.
The freestanding Vieques tub was positioned to look out
onto Ben Loyal, an isolated mountain just beyond the valley.
From here, without another house or person in sight, it can
feel as if you’re the lone soul in the entire valley, allowing
visitors to fully relax, recharge and soak in the wild Scottish
landscape in complete peace.
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The freestanding
Vieques tub was
positioned to look out
onto Ben Loyal, allowing
visitors to fully relax,
recharge and soak in the
wild Scottish landscape
in complete peace.
