ASSC Member, Bag End Cottage, uses imagination to build their quality self-catering cottage

It took five years for Mark and Joyce Richardson to create their dream home - and new business - at Bag End Cottage in Fife

The Scotsman

Published Date: 11 October 2010
By nichola hunter

Only slightly less glamorous than an actual Hobbit hole, Bag End Cottage is still a little piece of magic in the Fife countryside.

Joyce and Mark Richardson were on their way home from visiting friends in Ceres when they spotted the For Sale sign in the hamlet of Chance Inn. They were living in a flat in Dundee and were desperate to move. The dilapidated but 'n' ben they found offered them a great opportunity.

However, their move into Bag End Cottage was not a quick process. It took 18 months to complete the sale, and three architects and a further 18 months to get their plans passed. Their commitment to this project has been remarkable - it's not everyone who could live in a caravan for five years which is what they have done to build their dream home and start a new business...

... Both benefit from Mark's imagination in exploring differing heights and shapes. Curves and right angles are juxtaposed and every room has something special to offer, but surprisingly nothing jars the eye, much to Mark's delight: "I truly believe you can make a building interesting and comfortable simply by getting the rooms to flow. I love when guests arrive and they feel instantly at home which helps get their holiday off to a great start. I've even ensured the Italian porcelain floors flow from room to room without door treads so as not to create any visual barriers."

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