A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay

It is a dream of mine to live by a river in Scotland. The history, the scenery and the sound of running water are simply too much to resist, as is the relative isolation. I have been a creature of the city almost my entire life, but I cannot do it for my whole life. And hopefully I won’t have to.

I like to daydream what kind of house by a river in Scotland I might choose. There are always the impossible options, the multi-million pound mansions, manors and castles that exist north of the border. But there are also things on a more affordable end of the scale, such as Carnliath, near Pitlochry in Perthshire. You can purchase it by getting in contact with Galbraith, who are seeking offers in excess of £625,000.

From the outside, Carnliath looks nothing more than a cosy Scottish cottage. All the traditional features are here, such as the slate roof, the white paint on the extension, and the stone façade. As Scottish as Scottish can be.

Inside, however, things are slightly different. The current owners have clearly spent a lot of time (and with good taste) improving and modernising the property. As a result, the interiors are luscious, elegant and contemporary. They also have an eye for funky wallpaper, which is always a good sign.

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Carnliath offers three bedrooms and three reception rooms over its two floors. The bedrooms occupy the two floors of the original cottage, while the reception rooms, which include the large open plan kitchen/dining room, can be found in the extension on the side. The kitchen, I think we can agree, is a work of art.

But the house is only half of the equation. We also need a river and, thankfully, we have one. The Tay, one of Scotland’s premiere salmon rivers, flows pretty much past the front door, and the resulting sound and vision can be enjoyed from the garden year round, should you so wish.

The gardens of Carnliath are a perfect place to relax, with a mix of patio, lawn, and borders. The home as a whole is designed for a social occasion and the garden is no different. In a house as nice as this one, it shouldn’t be too hard to get your friends to come and visit.

Carnliath is for sale with Galbraith for offers in excess of £625,000. For more information and pictures, click here.