Location
Stunning former manse on the edge of the village.
Kilvaxter is a delightful, beautifully presented former Free Church manse, dating from the 1840s. The Pevsner Architectural Guide, Buildings of Scotland, Aberdeenshire: South and Aberdeen by Joseph Sharples, David Walker and Matthew Woodworth (Yale University Press, 2015) describes it as a pleasing house, in a beautiful elevated setting
Portico with unfluted Greek Doric columns, corniced architrave and stepped blocking course. It occupies an enviable position on the edge of Aucheblae village. While built just after the Disruption of the Church in 1843, and technically is early Victorian, the house has a charming, almost Georgian appearance, and was at one point known as Balmashanner. Stone built and harled with a slate roof, it is a most elegant house, which has been owned by the sellers since the early 1980s. They have very sensitively refurbished and extended the house, during that time, while retaining its period features and character. The house was re-roofed in the 1980s, with the conservatory being added a little later. A magnificent kitchen wing was added in 2000 and at that time the garden was re-landscaped. The house was extended again, to the rear, in 2011 / 12 when the central heating and boiler were also upgraded. Beautifully presented it has lovely well proportioned reception rooms. One of the bedrooms is downstairs, with a shower room, while two of those upstairs are en suite. As such the house is perfect for modern family living and entertaining. The reception rooms and bedrooms all have cornices, and the house is fully double glazed. The former groom's cottage is currently used for storage. Re-roofed in the 1990s it has considerable potential to create a small studio / office with garaging, or the building could be converted into ancillary or letting accommodation, subject to obtaining any necessary planning consents.
A tarred drive leads up to gravelled parking by the house. Imposing Doric columns flank a covered entrance which has a partially glazed and leaded front door which opens to the hallway. This has a staircase to the first floor and an understair cupboard. Arranged off the hallway are the main reception rooms. The lovely dining room has an alcove with cupboard below, window shutters, marble fireplace with stone mantel and a connecting door to the kitchen. The drawing room, another fine room, has an ornate cornice, window shutters and marble fireplace with carved wooden mantel. Pocket sliding doors open to the music room / study creating a lovely linked entertaining space, whilst beyond is the conservatory with French doors to the garden, tiled floor, two wall lights and electric blinds on the south and west sides to provide shading. The side hall has a wooden floor and leads to the magnificent Chalon kitchen with a high illuminated ceiling. In addition to granite worktops the fully fitted kitchen has an array of appliances including a Siemens induction hob and Britannia oven, while a dresser unit has a fitted AEG Micromat combi-microwave, together with two display units and a wooden unit with wooden worktops, porcelain sink with waste disposal and a Bosch dishwasher. A central island unit has a wooden work surface and a preparation sink, again with waste disposal. A glazed door links to the garden while the sitting and dining area has a fireplace housing a gas stove, a wall mounted Samsung TV, two picture lights and a Whirlpool American style fridge freezer with water and ice dispenser. The utility room has timber storage units, one housing a Grant boiler, together with a sink, washing machine, Hotpoint dryer and a shelved cupboard. The rear lobby has a useful hanging cupboard adjacent to the back door.
Also at ground floor level is a double aspect bedroom and a shower room with tiled cubicle with waterfall shower, Oka washbasin and stand, WC, panelling to dado level and tiled floor.
A fine curved staircase with wooden handrail and balustrades leads to the first floor landing. Bedroom two has a dado rail, window shutters, a dressing room and an en suite with waterfall shower, pedestal washbasin, separate WC and tiled floor. Bedroom three has a dado rail and window shutters, while bedroom four / study overlooks the front door and has panelling to dado level. Bedroom five also has a dado rail and window shutters, as well as built in wardrobes and a partially tiled en suite with a corner shower cubicle, two pedestal washbasins and a dressing room with fitted hanging rails, separate WC and a tiled floor. The luxurious family bathroom has a free standing bath, walk through tiled shower with waterfall shower, Villeroy & Boch washbasin and WC and louvred window shutters.
A description of the gardens and cottage is found under additional information.
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Kilvaxter is an enchanting property which has been so sensitively upgraded for modern family living. The new kitchen is outstanding and yet feels completely in keeping with its B Listed surroundings, and the bedroom/bathroom ratio is very high for a house of this period. The possibility of adding value through the refurbishment of the cottage is simply the icing on what is already a marvellous cake!"
Ruaraidh OgilvieProperty agent