Eco-friendly wedding venue Blackhouse Forest Estate in the Scottish Borders embarks on the next phase of its sympathetic redevelopment by adding an extension to its original croft house and making more room for overnight guests
While many of us spent the last lockdown hiding under our duvets, the owners of Blackhouse Forest Estate in the Borders were busy planning ahead.
Work has recently started on the construction of a glass extension to the original croft house that will see an additional bedroom and five en-suite bathrooms incorporated, meaning the eco-friendly retreat will soon sleep 10 in beautifully appointed accommodation.
An open-space area will have floor-to-ceiling glass on one side and a glass roof to make the most of the picturesque views, whilst an annex will be cleverly blended into the surroundings with turf laid on the roof. Some of the ground removed for the build will be reused on the roof – very much in keeping with the estate’s ethos of sustainability.
Each new room will feature bespoke furniture crafted locally from sustainable timber and, as with the rest of the estate, be fuelled by hydroelectric, biomass and solar power. Even the water for the estate is taken from the surrounding hills and cleansed with UV light.
The owners have already undertaken work to meticulously restore the Barn (above) – the focal point for weddings – and are also in the process of bringing the original open-air sheep roundel back from ruins to become another unique location for wedding ceremonies.