Savills Portugal

The growing desire for Scottish country living and the quest for more outside space that has emerged during the pandemic is shining a new light on the steading conversion.

Chiefly a Scottish and Northern English term dating from the 15th century, a steading is linked to the word ‘stede’ (as in farmstead), originally referring to a farm and its buildings. While re-purposing may be a buzzword in the real estate sector, converting traditional farm steadings into charming and characterful homes is not a new concept. Following a decline in agricultural income and changes in planning policy over the years, landowners have been raising funds from their land and property holdings by developing these farm buildings into charming and characterful homes for sale or rent for decades.

They have proved to have enduring appeal: often set in beautiful and tranquil country locations, they are providing homes where it would otherwise be difficult to gain planning permission for a new house.

The most successful renovations have been meticulously carried out using traditional materials, in keeping with vernacular architecture. These successfully blend traditional features with contemporary extensions and interiors in order to deliver modern, practical living. Advances in technology mean conversions of all types are much more energy efficient than in the past, while those carried out to a high standard, sympathetic to the building’s history, also tend to retain their value.

Here is a selection of the finest examples currently on the market in Scotland.