West Lodge is a charming traditional gatehouse on the outskirts of Dundee that has been given an extension worthy of Grand Designs.
Located just a couple of hundred metres from the edge of the city, it’s close to the Dighty Burn and is surrounded by woodland.
It was once the gatehouse for a nearby mansion, the ruins of which are hidden in the trees nearby.
Dating from 1890, the stone-built lodge had a large extension added around 15 years ago and was extended further in 2018.
Now the once-modest house sprawls over more than 220sqm with four bedrooms and four bathrooms.
Callum and Debbie Milne have owned West Lodge since 2007. The added a modern kitchen/dining extension shortly after they moved in and then followed up with an even more ambitious extension a little over five years ago.
Extensions to West Lodge
Award winning Dundee architect Andrew Black helped the extensions complement the original lodge. By the time they were finished they had more than doubled the home’s footprint.
The house is accessed by a small private track off Baldovan Road. A set of wrought iron electric gates opens onto a large parking area with a separate gate providing pedestrian access.
The old lodge has been turned into a pair of bedrooms for the couple’s two daughters. “We removed a wall in one of them so both rooms are good sizes,” Mrs Milne explained.
Both bedrooms have en suite bathrooms, one of which is cunningly disguised behind a wardrobe door.
Beyond the original part of the house is the open plan kitchen/dining area. This has a vaulted ceiling and French doors onto a patio. Large expanses of glazing make it an airy and light space, even on a gloomy January day.
Modern kitchen
The modern kitchen has a large central island. There is a tiled floor, and a mixture of spotlights, wall lights and hanging pendants make it easy to adjust the atmosphere after dark. A utility room sits off the kitchen.
A double-width doorway leads from the kitchen/dining room into the living room. This forms part of the second extension that was added in 2018.
It also has a vaulted ceiling, making an already large room feel even more spacious. Bi-fold doors open onto decking and allow the living room to be opened to the garden in summertime.
Adjacent to the living room is the salon Debbie runs her hairdressing business from, which would also make an ideal home office.
A set of stairs leads up from the living room to a stunning master bedroom that is the equal of anything found in a high end hotel.
Amazing en suite
Large Velux windows give views over the countryside. A bespoke dressing room has natural light from its windows and all the clothes storage even the most avid fashionista could ever need.
The en suite bathroom has a walk-in shower and a huge circular jacuzzi bathtub. “It is a great bedroom,” Mrs Milne said. “It’s also very peaceful. You’re far enough away from the road that you don’t get any traffic noise and even if the kids are in the kitchen you don’t hear them.”
West Lodge has oil central heating along with eco-friendly infrared panel heaters, giving a choice of ways to warm the house.
The large garden wraps around the house and there are patio areas to enjoy the sunshine from first thing in the morning until sunset on a summer’s evening.
Woodland surrounds two sides of the house and can be accessed by a hidden gate in the fence.
Garden room
In one corner is a superb garden room. Fully insulated and double glazed and with power and light it’s currently set up as a gym but would make a great home office in today’s working from home era.
The garden room was made using techniques pioneered by one of Callum’s companies. No More Digging uses galvanised steel screws instead of concrete foundations.
Not only is it faster than laying a traditional foundation, when the building reaches the end of its life it can be removed and leave the site as pristine as it was before.
West Lodge has a double garage with twin electric doors along with power and light. A recent addition is a large timber shed that stores all of the garden and other outdoor equipment. There’s also an electric car charging point.
Special location near Dundee
Part of what makes West Lodge so special is its location. The edge of Dundee is just a stone’s throw away and you can drive to the city centre in 10 minutes. Yet it offers the kind of peaceful seclusion people often move deep into the countryside for.
Woodland, rolling fields and cycle-friendly roads make it ideal for dog walking or getting out on your bike. Meanwhile, the garden room and the salon offer plenty of office space for people working from home.
Callum and Debbie lived in West Lodge for two years before moving out when the first extension was built. They then rented it out for five years, moving back in and building a second extension towards the end of the last decade.
With their children aged 19 and 16, the couple now have one eye on what they’ll do when they become empty nesters.
“We’ve really loved living here and it’s been a great place to bring up the children but it’s too big and too much work just for the two of us,” Mrs Milne said.
West Lodge, Baldovan is on sale with Verdala for offers over £525,000.
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