Stand at the bay window of the main lounge on a clear October morning, the marble fireplace behind you still warm from last night's fire, and watch red kites drift low over the tree line at the edge of the estate. That's the rhythm of life at Colleonard House. Not a postcard. Not a fantasy. Just Tuesday.
Built around 1750 and later expanded toward the end of the 1800s, this five-bedroom, six-bathroom country house on the outskirts of Banff carries almost three centuries of Aberdeenshire history in its walls—and a full, thoughtful renovation completed in 1999 means you get all of that character without sacrificing a single modern comfort. Spread across 498 square metres of internal space and sitting within approximately 9.5 acres of private grounds, Colleonard House is the kind of property that makes you stop and recalibrate what a second home can actually mean.
The approach alone sets the tone. A curved driveway, freshly stoned with granite chips, sweeps up through the grounds and deposits you at a cast iron portico that has been greeting visitors for well over two centuries. Step inside and the entrance hall opens up in a way that feels genuinely theatrical—two large stained glass windows throw coloured light across tiled and carpeted floors, three separate staircases branch off in different directions, and the whole space carries the particular silence of a house that has plenty of room to breathe. One staircase goes up to the principal accommodation, one descends to the wine cellar (yes, there is a wine cellar), and the third leads through to the main living areas.
The formal dining room runs along one side of the house with sash windows on all aspects, so the light moves through it across the day in a way that mak ... click here to read more
