Spacious countryside living for a family of 5 at The Brambles, Sauchen

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Countryside living for a family of 5 at The Brambles, Sauchen

The Brambles

Countryside living for a family of 5 at The Brambles, Sauchen

10th Mar 2025

The Drumallan

5 Bedrooms

Thom and his wife Amy, who previously lived in Kingseat, Newmachar, were looking for more space for their family of five.

With their two children, Betty (7) and Joe (4), and Thom’s daughter Millie (10), who often comes to stay, they wanted a home that could comfortably accommodate their busy family life.

From the moment they discovered The Drumallan at The Brambles, they knew it was the perfect fit. Now settled into their stunning 5-bedroom home, they invited us in to share their experience.

What made you choose The Drumallan?

“We really wanted more space. We loved our previous home, but we were outgrowing it. When I first saw a picture of The Drumallan, I thought it was AI - surely nobody actually has a house this nice! When we viewed it, we were amazed at how incredibly high quality it truly was.

“We were incredibly lucky that it was the previous showhome, so it came with the blinds, curtains and the beautiful landscaping. Everything has been finished to such a high standard and we felt really fortunate to have the opportunity to buy it.

“We weren’t initially set on a new build and we didn’t think a house of this size would be within our price range, but the incentives Kirkwood offered, like covering our LBTT, really helped make it possible."

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What is your favourite thing about your new home?

“Definitely the space. In our previous home, things were getting a bit cramped and we were all on top of each other. Now, the storage is incredible – each of our kids has their own room, plus we have a dedicated playroom for them.

“Over Christmas, we were able to have our entire family stay with us. My family lives locally but Amy’s family is from Dundee, so for five or six days, we had a steady stream of guests. The fact that we could fit everybody in and ensure they all had their own rooms to sleep in was something we had always dreamed of.”

"Sauchen is absolutely beautiful – it’s a lovely little village. Betty has settled in really well to her school and she loves the walk there. It’s about 1km along a well-maintained path that keeps her safely off the road. On the way, she gets to take in the forestry and views of Bennachie – it’s such a picturesque place"

Thom

The Brambles

What do you like about living in Sauchen?

“Sauchen is absolutely beautiful – it’s a lovely little village. Betty has settled in really well to her school and she loves the walk there. It’s about 1km along a well-maintained path that keeps her safely off the road. On the way, she gets to take in the forestry and views of Bennachie – it’s such a picturesque place.

“I’m really into cycling and running, so when we lived in Newmachar, I used to cycle an hour just to get to Sauchen for hill climbs. Now, having it all on my doorstep is amazing. There’s also a beautiful road called My Lord’s Throat, which is a well-known cycling route in the North-east and it’s only 20 minutes from the house.

“We also love the walk up to Castle Fraser. Quite often, we’ll get the kids’ wellies on and walk up there for a coffee and walk back. It’s just brilliant to be surrounded by nature and having it all right on our doorstep is just fantastic.”

What do you love most about The Brambles development?

“There are lots of people around our age and plenty of young families. We’ve already made friends within the development – everyone helps out with school runs, and it feels like such a friendly community.

“The development itself is beautiful. The houses are so well built, and the layout has been designed thoughtfully so that none of the homes feel on top of each other. There’s a real sense of space, both inside the house and outside.

“We have a small play park right outside the house. When I took my eldest daughter to view the home, we saw a group of four or five mums hanging out in the park area with their kids on a Friday evening and it just felt like such a welcoming community. Just a short stroll from our home, there’s a little stream we love to visit.. The kids call it ‘the beach’ and they love throwing stones into the water. It’s just so nice to have that connection to nature right on our doorstep.”

How was the buying process with Kirkwood Homes?

“We dealt with Michelle as our sales advisor, and she was absolutely brilliant. My wife Amy and Michelle got on like a house on fire! The whole team at Kirkwood has been brilliant from start to finish.

“When we were finalising everything, Michelle was actually on holiday - but I’m pretty sure she was still checking in with us from her sun lounger, just to make sure we had all the help we needed. She really looked after us throughout the whole process.

“The aftercare has been excellent too – they’ve got the home care absolutely spot on. As the site manager is always on-site, they’re really responsive. If we need anything, they come around within a day or two – sometimes even within hours.”

Learn about The Drumallan

A truly outstanding 5/6 bedroom home with a carefully considered design. 'The Drumallan' boasts a spacious open-plan kitchen, dining and family area, beautiful formal lounge, separate reception room/6th bedroom, two en-suites and a double garage.

Learn more