Oran Mor, Dornoch

The house is fittingly named Oran Mor, which in Gaelic means the ‘great melody of life’. As you sit in the Lounge or on the deck and watch the ever-changing colours of the Loch, it’s impossible not to be in awe of the ‘great music’ that is encapsulated by this landscape.

This stunning new house enjoys the same breath-taking views over Loch Fleet as Rainbows’ End. The house is fittingly named Oran Mor, which in Gaelic means the ‘great melody of life’. As you sit in the Lounge or on the deck and watch the ever-changing colours of the Loch, it’s impossible not to be in awe of the ‘great music’ that is encapsulated by this landscape.

Taking the view as precedent, but also seeking to make the house bright and as energy efficient as possible we put together a design to meet our clients brief of a high-end 2-bedroom property where not just the main living areas but also both bedrooms enjoyed the outlook.

The house had to have a large living area and we opened these main spaces out onto a private deck. Our concept drew on the theme of a ‘beach house’ with timber boarding and a hidden path of shingles that leads guests towards the view of the water. Dramatic timber ‘rails’ lead the eye in the direction of the Loch and contrast with the simple form of the house itself with its narrow gables and 45 degree pitched roof. The rails also provide privacy from the road. To compliment the Living, Dining and Kitchen on the ground floor there is also an impressive first floor gallery with frameless glass balustrading.

Once again, our clients contribution to the project further enhanced how the property turned out. Guests have enjoyed viewing the landscape from the shower that has open sight lines through the Bedroom.