LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

Reshaped for socialising and dressed up to the nines after an 18-month renovation, this mansion just outside Edinburgh is all set for party season

- Malcolm Jack

A sense of fun permeates every part of the energetic revamp of this large early-19th-century house near Edinburgh, from the lively colour choices and vibrant patterns and textures, down to the way it has been reorganised for hosting big social occasions. Even the experience shared by the owners and the design team during the 18-month project speaks of the job's joyful ambience.

“We had a right laugh with everyone,” says Darren who, together with his wife Gillian and three sons, bought the handsome B-listed mansion in 2023. They promptly engaged award-winning Edinburgh studio Jeffreys Interiors to give it an overhaul. “A lot of the people we've worked with on it have become friends,” he adds.

Jeffreys' creative director Jo Aynsley describes how, right from day one, it was “a really nice and collaborative project” - not least because ever-proactive Darren arrived at their first meeting armed with full moodboards for several rooms (which included inspiration plucked from the pages of this very magazine). “That was nice to see,” says Jo, “especially as it included some of our own projects. Obviously, they'd really taken the time to decide who they wanted to work with.”

Some items in the house's The large collage portrait is by Thai artist Virut Panchabuse, sourced from Edinburgh's Watson Art Gallery. The clients loved the artwork so much that the colour scheme for the living room was tweaked to suit it. These double doors are new but they have the same gothic-shaped detail as the originals - an important part of the house's history. The sofas are by Charlotte James and the Fleville chandelier is by Vaughan.