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Spyon Cop is located in the Cairngorms in Scotland, a large national park renowned for its natural beauty and access to outdoor activities like hillwalking, mountain biking and climbing. The house is located on a hilltop where the River Don bends, and overlooks beautiful views down two valleys. “Our clients wanted the house to feel like it belonged, so Spyon Cop is quite modest in its size and form, but also in its presence,” explains architect Kate Brown. “It sits gently on the land.”

“While the house predominately enjoys a long vista down the valley, there’s a special viewpoint in the main bathroom, a slice of glazing at head height offering a peaceful perspective of the River Don and Cairngorms hills beyond,” says architect Kate Brown.

The clients have filled Spyon Cop with a collection of vintage Mid-Century modern pieces, including the coffee table, sideboard and dining chairs.

The clients are an active family and it was essential that the home facilitate this outdoors lifestyle. The entry porch offers a space where the family can take off muddy boots or wet clothes and can easily access the utility room, bathrooms, and an outdoor gear store.

The formwork concrete creates a dynamic horizontal directionality in the living areas that directs the eye to the views.

Timber pocket doors throughout the home, including in the bedrooms, echo the materiality of the bespoke kitchen. Likewise, the Mid-Century Modern furniture complements the vintage pieces in the living areas.

The bedroom features sweeping views over the valley and the river through expansive glazing, and a door opens out to the patio that spans the length of the home.

The clients wanted a house that could offer fantastic views of the landscape from every room—including the bathroom—whilst protecting them from the worst of the Cairngorms weather.

In keeping with a pared back aesthetic, Brown & Brown designed a custom plywood kitchen, carrying the timber through as internal doors and the dining room’s storage bench.

The kitchen island responds to the concrete walls and floor, while black pendant lights punctuate the otherwise light palette.

The glazing is arranged to allow sunlight in, and opens in summer to passively cool the home, requiring little active energy in use.

“Being perched on the hilltop at Spyon Cop is like nothing else,” says client Siobhan Turner. “My favourite experience of the house is sitting in my Ercol chair or, in nice weather, out on the deck, coffee in hand, watching the sun rise over the valley.”

Floor Plan of Spyon Cop by Brown & Brown

The main bathroom was remodeled and enlarged. Instead of chrome, Megan opted for hardware with a soft pewter finish.

An art deco drinks trolley was repurposed as a bathroom vanity. All fixtures are low-flow.

The white brick fireplace, flanked by built in shelves, is the centerpiece of the living room.

The piecemeal flooring that changed from room to room was swapped out for white oak, and the front door, side lite, and trim all updated.

The well-lit kitchen, located steps from the living room, is equipped with all new appliances, as well as plenty of counter space. Wooden countertops tie back to the encompassing forest.

The living spaces are located on the second floor as a way to create a more intimate connection with the surrounding forest. Custom Arcadia windows wrap around the spacious sitting area, framing sweeping views of the nearby oak, pine, birch, and cherry trees. Sliding glass doors open up to the adjacent terrace, extending the living spaces outdoors.