Black sheep House is a contemporary renovation and extension of a traditional Blackhouse. We built the house with the intention of using as much of the existing stonework as possible and creating as little visual impact as possible. Starting with three remaining 1-meter thick walls we re-shaped and extended. We did this very much as a hands-on self-build & it's only because I'm a dry stone dyker by trade that I could be mad enough to take on such an ambitious project.

Craftsman joinery by local builder Reuben Miles, gave us an amazing frame of curves & intersections made from Douglas Fir. Traditional V-lining along–side the expert plasterwork of Lewisman Billy Macleod give a great balance internally. And with views out across the water the hills and the Sound of Harris it is a complete one-off. My wife, Christine and myself tufted the roof. It has under floor heating run by an exhaust air heat pump, slate floor throughout and a Gaudiesk tiled bathroom. The furnishings are luxurious and contemporary, complimenting the open plan design, organic curves and liberating sense of space.
Our architect Stuart Bagshaw had managed to convince us we could do it, and were pleased we've given a new lease of life to a beautiful building; probably the oldest inhabited house on Harris. It seems there's so little organic structure left but Blacksheep house has it by the bucket load.