A very modern makeover: 13-bedroom Scottish manor with 'pop art' interiors on sale for less than a Chelsea flat

Contemporary artist Stuart McAlpine Miller and his wife Nikki have jazzed up the 19th-century pile with their distinctive style and flair for colour.
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Jess Denham30 August 2018

From the outside, this grand Scottish manor seems caught in the early 19th century, but once you step inside, it tells a different and much more modern story.

Contemporary artist Stuart McAlpine Miller and his wife Nikki, a designer, bought their turreted, stone-built home in Perthshire two years ago and have since been busy giving the interiors a colourful, pop art-inspired makeover.

The Gart dates back to 1835, but it was substantially rebuilt and extended after suffering fire damage in 1901 and sleeps up to 26.

It is now on the market for £1,750,000 – £100,000 less than the price of the average Kensington and Chelsea flat.

When the McAlpine Millers took it on, this imposing property was "very traditional" but in great structural condition, with spacious rooms and plenty of characterful period detail.

Doing it up to their own aesthetic taste would be a challenge, but they were starting with what estate agents like to call "good bones".

Used to working their magic on expansive exhibition spaces in London, the couple immediately set about infusing each room with their distinctive style and flair for colour.

Grey and blue formed the base of their colour palette, with Nikki creating "a lot of mood boards" on Pinterest.

"I love original features and I like the mix of contemporary and traditional," she says.

"We wanted to create an art gallery within the house, so we wanted to have a lot of wall space and be considerate throughout with colour. It was a blank canvas at the time but the view from every window was like a painting."

Elton John moment: the morning room is a bright, modern space to relax in (Savills)

They knocked through part of the wall between the dining room and kitchen and connected the two dramatic spaces with a striking black corner fireplace.

The kitchen island's sculptural pod shape enhances the sense of fluidity and the grey painted cabinetry and walls make Stuart’s artworks pop.

The 100ft long reception room and gin and whisky bar complete with bespoke seating, magenta pool table and statement copper lights are an entertainer’s dream, while the morning room with digital baby grand piano, cosy library and cinema room in one of the turrets are wonderful places to retreat to after hosting inevitably excitable guests.

Host with the most: this snooker bar is sure to prove popular with friends (Savills)

Four bedrooms (there are 13 in all), offices, storerooms and a gym are found in the basement, as is a collection of luxury silk sleepwear designed by Nikki.

Outside, lush lawns, trees and masses of rhododendrons surround the baronial pile and keep it private from a nearby farm and caravan park.

There is a stone pillared summer house in one corner of the garden, two paddocks — one running along the riverside, and a vegetable garden with a greenhouse.

Overall, the grounds span 12 acres.

Negotiate: some of the furniture may be available to buy separately (Savills)

The McAlpine Millers will be taking their personal items and artwork with them but some furniture may be available to buy separately.

They are moving on to find another project, also in Scotland.

"We hope the next owner is someone who will love the house as we have and just enjoy it!," says Nikki.

"The Gart is pretty special and everyone who enters remarks on what a lovely energy it has."

The manor is found just east of the small town of Callander, a popular stop for tourists travelling to and from the Highlands.

It is home to a leisure centre with a swimming pool, an 18-hole golf course, a good range of shops and schools for all ages.

The city of Stirling with its famous castle and excellent transport links to Edinburgh and Glasgow is only 15 miles away and there are many opportunities for outdoors pursuits, from climbing and hill walking to salmon fishing, shooting and watersports.

Savills, who are marketing the country home, said: "The Gart is a remarkable property in a truly spectacular location.

"The McAlpine Millers have created a home for themselves, and an incredible space for guests, that feels both personal and very unique."

If you can't stretch to the purchase price, it is also available on Airbnb for £2,000 a night.