Prestige property: Picture yourself in the pink

The house dates from 1914 when it was built by renowned architect Sir Matthew Ochterlony for his parents. He was responsible for many grand villas in the area, and is buried in Colinton Churchyard.

Mark and Zabian Hutchinson bought the house in 2016, attracted by the grounds in particular. Mark explains: “We have three children and, at the time, they were eight, six and four, and we were looking for a family home.

“We love the Colinton area as it has one foot in the city and one in the country. There was also the ease of travel to the city, the airport, across the Forth, and down to England.”

Mark works in finance while Zabian is a stay-at-home mum to their daughter and two sons. He says: “[The children] have had seven years of growing up in this wonderful family home, with great gardens to explore. It is behind a huge wall, and coming up the driveway is like entering another world through a tunnel of trees.”

The garden was landscaped in a classic style – the Hutchinsons still have the original plans dating from the 1950s. A formal garden is directly south-facing and is used for entertaining. The couple have simplified the space to make it easily maintained. Archways in the yew hedges lead to the kids’ kickabout area on one side, and to a kitchen garden that Mark and Zabian have established.

Zabian says: “It is sheltered and so is brilliant for the fruit trees – we have damson, plum, apple and pear, plus all sorts of berries, and vegetable beds. It is so nice to be able to tell the children to go and pick some courgettes for supper.”

The grounds are nearly an acre in area, and there is potential for a building plot without much impact to the existing house.

Of the exterior colour, Zabian says: “It is unique, we looked it up and it is called Pink Ground and it really is delightful in the sunshine –particularly as the clematis on the side of the house and the turret match with pale pink flowers.”

The building’s footprint is a butterfly shape, with the earliest part including the turret. A wing which now houses a games room was added in 1925, by the same architect, and another a decade later, so Ochterlony kept up a lifelong association.

The central conservatory is a later replacement for the original.

The layout is conducive to modern family life. Mark says: “It has quite a unique flow, with everything joined up, from the circular entrance hall to the sitting room, and through to the conservatory or garden.”

The dining-kitchen has a utility and a pantry and, had they been staying, the couple planned to possibly join it all up, knocking through to the conservatory, which would create a spectacular space.

The master bedroom is another luxury, taking up almost half of the first floor with an ensuite bathroom and two dressing rooms attached.

Balmadie may look grand from the outside, but the house definitely has a warm cottagey feel and a couple of original features make it especially welcoming.

The inscription over the fireplace in the turret entrance says: “Oh ye fire and heat, praise ye the Lord”, while another over the front door reads: “Welcome as guests, leave as friends.”

With a shift in geographical focus for both work and family, the Hutchinsons are now returning South, but Mark says: “If we could roll up the house and garden and take it with us, we would.”

For more information, contact Savills on 0131-247 3770.