First glimpse inside refurbished Boroughmuir High School

TRADITIONAL architecture and modern design are top of the class as one of the capital’s most highly-anticipated developments, Boroughmuir by CALA Homes (East), launches on site with an A-grade show apartment.

Nestled in the south of the Scottish capital, Boroughmuir offers a selection of 87 apartments ranging from one to four-bedrooms in the former high school, regarded as one of Edinburgh’s most iconic school buildings, dating back to the early 1900s

Its new show apartment has been styled by renowned designer Eileen Kesson at Envision Showhomes – through an innovative collaboration with Danish luxury lifestyle brand BoConcept – and can now be viewed by appointment.

Like most apartments in the development, it is designed to maximise the building’s character while facilitating modern living. It showcases jaw-dropping double-height ceilings and carefully preserved and restored sash and case windows, as well as a beautiful mezzanine bedroom which adds to the home’s character and charm.

Eileen said: “This was a unique and exciting project. Being an old building, Boroughmuir presented an interesting challenge to utilise its best features and maintain its traditional charm, while also making it contemporary.

“What Boroughmuir presents in abundance is height – it’s the development’s signature element. We’ve incorporated a beautiful light fitting made exclusively for the apartment which cascades down from the ceiling with sparkle, bridging the height found in the apartment.

“The light reflected around the apartment through its colossal windows is a real bonus and has allowed us to be bold in our colour selection. We decided to incorporate the school’s colours into the apartment as a nod towards the building’s heritage.

“We have worked in partnership with BoConcept to provide an elegant and modern feel to the apartment while still paying tribute to the history of the building.”

The master bedroom overlooks the open-plan living area, benefitting from the influx of light from the traditional windows, while cleverly designed sliding doors create the perfect private space.

Matthew Kitson, Senior Design Consultant at BoConcept, said: “This has been an exquisite project to be a part of, the perfect backdrop for our home furnishings.

“We were able to be bold with our choices, often representing modern contrasts to the classical building. With this in mind we chose the Hampton sofa in petrol velvet as the main sofa, inspired by the school’s colours.

“The vibrant Veneto swivel and Vienna dining chairs in the same petrol velvet encourage the flow of the room. It can be a risk to use such strong shades, but in a space like this it works very well.

“In the private upstairs, we chose the statement Arlington bed which echoes the colours of the sofa that you can see from the mezzanine. We’ve played with the textures in the room, with a slight sheen in some of the fabric which gives the room a luxurious feel and makes the space feel like a private penthouse.”

With neighbouring Bruntsfield and Morningside regarded as two of the city’s prime spots for artisan and independent businesses, an abundance of restaurants, bars and cafes as well as attractions and employment hubs within walking distance, meaning the development could hardly be better connected.

Philip Hogg, Sales and Marketing Director for CALA Homes (East) said: “We have no doubt that this show apartment will wow potential buyers who are looking into the area.

“The team at Envision Showhome are magnificent in realising our concepts, and this show apartment is a perfect reflection of that.

“The Boroughmuir development is set to be a fantastic achievement in not only refurbishment of an old building, but of modern design.”

The former home of Boroughmuir High School was an innovative design by renowned architect John Alexander Carfrae. One of the first buildings in Edinburgh to utilise a steel frame for architecture, it was constructed between 1911 and 1914.

It is a Grade B listed building that has required careful preservation by CALA – including the delicate refurbishment of 430 large sash and case windows ensuring a marriage between traditional features and contemporary living.

The showhome is open daily by appointment only with social distancing measures in place for the safety of visitors and the sales team.

https://www.cala.co.uk/homes-for-sale/east-of-scotland/boroughmuir/