Take a tour around a Scottish Highland retreat

last updated 16 May 2022

This attractive part-Georgian, part-Victorian property with 13 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms sits on the Hebridean island of Mull, with surrounding landscapes of lochs, mountains and rivers. The home was once owned by Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, Princess Louise, and her husband, the ninth Duke of Argyll.

The shooting lodge stands out against the rolling hills and woodlands of the 17,000-acre Ben More estate.

1/9 Exterior

white cottage with grey roof trees and grass

2/9 Hallway

hallway with white wall staircase wooden flooring and carpet

In the hallway, Cawdor rugs and stair carpet add colour and warmth to the plain cream walls.

The carpet was sourced from Anta. Visit Vaughan for a lantern like this.

3/9 Games room

gaming room with wooden wall brown chair lamp and wooden flooring

An oak-panelled billiards room occupies the original kitchen. This games room has a gentlemen's club feel to it.

4/9 Utility room

utility room white panel wall white shelf wall hanger and stone flooring

A partition separates the boot room from the hallway. The stone floor tiles add a rugged element to this practical utility room.

5/9 Kitchen

kitchen with blue cabumet white wall electric stove and chimney

An aga fills the kitchen with warmth, maintaining the atmosphere of a traditional Scottish lodge, without the gloom.

The kitchen was designed by Murray & Murray of Edinburgh.

6/9 Dining room

dinning room with brown dinning table brown chairs white wall and candle with stand on table

All of the furniture, including the leather chairs and twenty-seater dining table, was made especially for the house by Norfolk cabinet makers Stephen Church Furniture.

The owners bought the silver candelabra at Sotheby's.

7/9 Bathroom

bathroom with cream colour wall bathtub and window

The roll-top bath with built-in soap dishes is Victorian. The neutral walls keep this space airy and light for a fresh feel.

8/9 Double bedroom

bedroom with white wall white window with curtains brown chair

The furnishing in the guest bedroom is smart and relaxed for a polished look.

The mahogany wardrobe and leather chair are from Newark Antiques Fair.

9/9 Master bedroom

bedroom with light pink wall red bed with white cushion lamp and curtain

The Scottish theme is heightened by the tartan fabric on the curtains and bed runner.

The bedlinen is from The White Company.

Looking for more stunning readers' homes to look around? Take a look at our House Tours section for everything from a modern London penthouse and beautiful mews house, to an Edwardian country manor and Simon Lycett's home.

Heather Young has been Ideal Home’s Editor since late 2020, and Editor-In-Chief since 2023. She is an interiors journalist and editor who’s been working for some of the UK’s leading interiors magazines for over 20 years, both in-house and as a freelancer.