Oak Cottage

PROJECT: Oak Cottage

LOCATION: Kincraig

STATUS: Completed 2022

Gilberts was commissioned in Spring 2021 to design a generous extension to the rear of Oak Cottage in Kincraig, within the Cairngorms National Park. The client desired a more generous living / kitchen dining space on the rear of the modern, storey & half detached villa they had owned as a holiday home / holiday rental property for a number of years. We benefitted from a very clear brief in terms of size & aesthetics and produced a simple design for a mainly glazed extension into the substantial, sloping N.W. facing rear dominated by a number of large, mature deciduous trees. As well as the extended built-form, the project was to incorporate a large patio for outdoor seating & dining.

After gaining planning consent & building warrant & a competitive tender process, we worked closely with Steven Brand Joinery to execute the construction & bring the project in on budget, through very challenging times in terms of material supply & costs.

The extension utilises a steel frame with timber framed infill panels, large format triple-glazed screens & large format sliding triple-glazed doors onto the patio. The timber framed walls are finished in Cedral weatherboarding

By working the new patio into the hillside, in turn affording it some enclosure & shelter, we were able to create barrier free access from the house to it, effectively extending the new room area into it. With substantial glazing to the S.W. & N.W., augmented by 2 generous rooflights bringing daylight into the heart of the kitchen area, the new room appears bright & airy, whilst a generous soffit and deep rooflight penetrations ensure that solar gain is not oppressive. For the colder weather, a free-standing wood-burning stove becomes the focal point, in the South corner of the room.

The resulting room is the reinvented heart of the house, capable of comfortably coping with a houseful of guests in comfort.”