A Light Filled Countryside Retreat
Project Location: Ceres, Fife
Service: Bespoke Design including Kitchen & Bathrooms
Property Type: New Build
Rooms Designed: Entire Property
Style: Contemporary Scandinavian with neutral and darker accents
Completed: July 2025
Photographer: Alix McIntosh
Pilgrim’s Rest, nestled in the rolling hills of Ceres, Fife, was a new build that arrived as a blank canvas. The clients wanted a home that was both beautiful and practical - a countryside retreat they could enjoy themselves, but also suitable for short-term rental. With a contemporary Scandinavian aesthetic in mind, they were drawn to neutral tones, light, airy spaces, and thoughtful touches that would give the home warmth and character. As they put it, “We were looking for a designer who had previous work reflecting our aesthetic, and a team that could support us remotely. Kate and her team hit all the high points.”
The opportunity to start from scratch allowed for complete creativity. Working closely with the developers while the home was still under construction, we carefully planned layouts, lighting, and even the placement of plug sockets and radiators to ensure every detail would serve the way the spaces were intended to be used. “Our home was a new build purchased under construction. Kate and her team helped personalise the space, ensuring it truly feels like ours,” the clients said, highlighting how the early collaboration made all the difference.
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Design Approach
With panoramic countryside views framing the home, our approach was inspired by the landscape outside. Natural materials - stone, marble, and linen - set a calming tone and brought a tactile warmth to the interior. Large, open windows allowed light to flood the spaces, and the palette remained neutral and soft, with carefully considered deeper accents to anchor the rooms and provide a sense of comfort. Downstairs, a darker theme emerged, with a black kitchen, utility room, and downstairs shower featuring textured black tiles. Bespoke cabinetry maintained clean lines while maximising storage and functionality, proving that practical solutions can also be striking.
Storage was carefully integrated throughout, particularly in the bathrooms, where hidden compartments behind walls and within vanity units ensured clutter could be kept out of sight. Fabrics and surfaces were chosen for their durability and ease of maintenance, a nod to the home’s potential use as a short-let property. Despite the open-plan design, furniture arrangements were intentionally conversational, allowing for interaction and connection rather than focusing solely on the television. The clients reflected, “Kate intuitively understood our style and offered unique ways to imprint our personality on the home. The process was seamless even from overseas.”
"Kate intuitively understood our style and offered unique ways to imprint our personality on the home. The process was seamless even from overseas."
Key Features
Several bespoke features became standout moments within the home. The primary ensuite vanity is a light oak unit with Silestone worktops and push-to-open drawers, custom-fitted to create a beautiful and practical focal point. The open-plan media unit cleverly combines an IKEA base with Fronteriors doors, a semi-bespoke bench, and matching worktops - demonstrating that high-impact design can be achieved on different budgets. Perhaps the most striking feature is the curved shower wall in the downstairs bathroom, which replaces a standard glass screen and transforms the space into something sculptural and elegant. As the clients said, “Our favourite part is the ground floor bathroom with its curved shower wall - it’s stunning!”
Textures and materials were carefully layered throughout to reflect the natural environment. Stone-effect tiles in the bathrooms, black fixtures in the kitchen, utility, and bathrooms, and soft linens across the home create a tactile, welcoming environment that mirrors the surrounding landscape. The result is a home that feels calm, open, and effortlessly inviting, a space where the clients have chosen to spend their time rather than immediately renting it out. “Our original intention was to open our home for short-term rental when we were not using it. After working with Studio Heim and spending time in our home we aren't willing to share it - we love it too much!” they shared.
Final Thoughts
Pilgrim’s Rest is a perfect example of what bespoke interior design can achieve when functionality, aesthetic, and lifestyle are considered together. Every space balances practicality with beauty, from bespoke cabinetry to thoughtfully planned layouts, creating a home that is unmistakably theirs. As the clients recommend, “Do it - without hesitation!”
Interested in a similar transformation?
If you’re dreaming of a home that feels calm, considered and deeply personal, we’d love to hear about your space. Our design services are tailored to your lifestyle, your home and your pace - guiding you from first ideas through to a finished sanctuary.