Ten-year labour of love transforms rundown Highland guest house into stunning family home hailed witty, quirky and elegant by TV judges
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
When Simon and Galle Patton first set eyes on The Colonel’s House in Inverness, it was a rundown guesthouse which had seen better days.
But 10 years on, the couple have transformed it into a family home which has made it to the finals of the BBC TV programme Scotland’s Home of the Year.
Having come under the scrutiny of judges Anna Campbell-Jones, Michael Angus and Kate Spiers in the Highland heats, it earned plaudits such as quirky, fun and elegant.
It has been a labour of love – and one which is still ongoing – for Mr Patton and his French-born wife who are pupil support assistants at Culloden Academy.
Having previously lived in south-east England, they relocated to Scotland 20 years ago with son Luc and daughters Marie-Louise and Charlotte to escape the rat race and commute into London.
They initially lived in Perthshire until moving to Inverness in 2011 when they bought The Colonel’s House, a three-storey property built in 1897 to house the Colonel of Cameron Barracks.
"When it came on the market it had been run for a long period of time as an eight-bedroom bed and breakfast," Mr Patton said.
"I remember when we were taken around, each room was referred to by its number.
"It still had the identity of a bed and breakfast.
"It still had the fire notices, fire extinguishers and emergency lighting. Every bedroom had a shower.
"It just needed some TLC and we set about returning it to its former glory and making it into our family home."
Mr Patton acknowledged in hindsight it was a big undertaking.
"We had three children and a fairly significant project on our hands – and we were both still working full-time," he said.
"We literally had to gut it."
But one advantage was that living in the house while carrying out the restoration meant they could consider ideas and change their minds as work progressed rather than rushing into decisions.
Having brought the house for £330,000, they estimate they have spent between £150,000 and £200,000 – but say it is still not finished and they have more plans.
The transformation certainly impressed the judges of Scotland’s Home of the Year.
Stepping over the threshold, they were immediately wowed by the stunning staircase with its display of photographs and the painstakingly-restored cast iron spindles and mahogany bannister.
It has been one of the biggest restoration challenges and took Mr Patton three years to strip back the paint on the double set of spindles of 39 stairs.
"The spindles had over 100 years of paint of them and the detail no longer stood out," he said.
"I had to chip them spindle by spindle back to the cast iron under the paint by hand."
As they toured the house, the judges were struck by the use of black and gold used with other colours throughout to create different moods.
They also picked up on the varying personalities of individual rooms from a tropical jungle themed family bathroom to a bedroom with a quirky display of suspended top hats – reflecting Luc’s love of drama and performance.
Items collected by Mrs Patton from her travels are also displayed throughout the house including a large-size model of part of a zebra.
Mr Patton said: "Our taste is eclectic. We like formal and traditional decor. But we also like some aspects of contemporary style."
A key element of Scotland’s Home of the Year involves the owners identifying their favourite spot.
The Pattons chose the traditional-style drawing room.
"It is where we celebrate Christmas and birthdays and have a good time with friends," Mrs Patton said.
"It is a really nice warm room."
Each judge gave The Colonel’s House nine points out of 10 while in her verdict, interior designer Anna Campbell-Jones said: "It is really witty. It has a personality."
Opening the doors of your home to judges – not to mention TV viewers – is a surely nerve-racking experience. But the couple said it was enjoyable and everyone from the programme showed tremendous respect and were highly complimentary.
And while they were delighted their efforts in restoring the house had been recognised, they also stressed it was a family home.
Mr Patton said: "If other people don’t like it, fair enough. It is still our home and we were happy to share it with other people."
The Highland heat also spotlighted The Mansion House, a basement apartment in Lentran House overlooking Beauly Firth.
Dating back to 1866, it was formerly the Inverness Provost’s residence and an RAF building, before being split to create six separate dwellings.
After descending to the apartment via a lift, the judges commented on its gothic and retro styles.
The kitchen, featuring a massive mural depicting what the house would have once looked like, was described as “rich and atmospheric”.
The third contender in the Highlands was Saltire House in Aviemore. Although it is new-build in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, its design was inspired by Glasgow’s famous architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh but the owners stressed they were keen to avoid creating a "Mockintosh" effect.
Anyone wanting to see the Highland heat of Scotland’s Home of the Year and previous episodes, can do so via BBC iPlayer.
Related story: Pictures: Restored Inverness house judged best in the Highlands
