The School HouseAuchenblae, By Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, AB30 1WQ

The School House is a most attractive house, situated on the edge of the picturesque and very convenient village of Auchenblae. The house is believed to date from the 1850s and, as the name suggests, was built as the local school master's house; it was used as such until the 1970s. It continued under council ownership until 2002 when it was sold to the sellers. As such this is only the second time that the house has been on the market. It is a fine period house, stone built with a slate roof, retaining much of its period character with features such as cornicings in the original part and panelled doors. Shortly after acquiring the house the owners set about an ambitious programme of renovation and extending to the rear. The works were substantial and included overhauling the roof and the addition of new gutters and downpipes. Internally the walls were stripped back and insulated, and the house was rewired and replumbed. Panelled doors and skirtings were refurbished. The extension has a stone and harl finish and a slate roof, so is very much in keeping with the original. As such, it is a house that marries the best of the old and new, with well presented reception rooms to the front, together with a fabulous open plan living room and kitchen to the rear. Beyond this is a useful playroom or office, which also has its own entrance. Completing the downstairs accommodation is a utility room and a WC. Upstairs are five bedrooms, one currently used as a home office, and one with an en suite, along with a family bathroom and a shower room. When the house was refurbished a new central heating system was installed and the property was fully double glazed. In 2012 a new garage with a garden store and log store was built.

Stone gate piers with a sliding gate open on to a gravelled drive leading up past the garage to parking and turning areas at the front and side of the house. A wooden entrance door with a partially glazed and etched leaded window opens to a hallway with a staircase to the first floor and a useful understair cupboard. To one side is an impressive sitting room with an open fireplace with York stone surround and mantel, window shutters and two wall lights. Opposite is the dining room which also has window shutters. There is a useful downstairs WC with circular washbasin and tiled floor. The spacious open plan kitchen / living area has a wall mounted Sony Bravia TV and French doors to the side. The fully fitted and bespoke German kitchen has units with granite worktops and a breakfast bar. Fitted NEFF appliances include an induction hob with extractor, mid height dishwasher, steam oven, microwave, double oven and a fridge. Off this is a rear lobby with storage cupboards and a back door. The utility room has fitted units, sink, plumbing for a washing machine, Daewoo fridge freezer with water and ice dispenser, Beko freezer, clothes pulley and Grant oil fired boiler. The office / playroom has its own external entrance door.

The staircase leads up to the first floor landing where there are built in cupboards and a hatch with attic ladder to floored roof space. Bedroom one is double aspect with an en suite shower room with wet walling, washbasin with vanity unit and WC. Bedroom two also looks out to the front, while the family bathroom has a corner spa bath, shower cubicle, washbasin and WC. Bedroom three is currently used as an office, while bedroom four is double aspect and has fitted wardrobes. The shower room has a washbasin with vanity unit, WC and tiled floor. Bedroom five is another double aspect room.

The enclosed garden includes a lawn, shrub borders and many fine trees including a good copper beech. There is a wooded area with a tree house, while at the back is a bank with further shrubs. Adjacent to the entrance is a wooden double garage with box profile roof, two automatic roller doors, water, power and light, concrete floor. There is a workshop area to the rear. To the side is an attached garden store, again with an automatic roller door,
which could be used as a further garage. There is a covered log store.

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