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Reviving Opulence

The Carnegie Club, Skibo Castle

Skibo Castle, home to The Carnegie Club, is a renowned private members’ retreat tucked away in the Scottish Highlands. Once the summer residence of steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the castle has a rich history that spans centuries, with foundations dating back to the 1200s. Today, it boasts 21 guest rooms, each uniquely designed to offer luxurious comfort. From grand four-poster beds to secluded libraries hidden in towers, the accommodations exude opulence and charm. Skibo Castle’s exterior showcases Scottish Baronial architecture, complete with crow-stepped gables, turrets, and towers, while the interior embodies Edwardian elegance, retaining much of its original fittings and fixtures.

Renovating and upgrading a historic property like Skibo Castle is a meticulous endeavour. Over the years, the estate has undergone several renovations, including the careful restoration of the bathrooms throughout the castle and other buildings on the property. The team has relied on Drummonds’ classic designs to seamlessly blend modern luxury with historic charm, ensuring that every update respects the castle’s legacy while enhancing its luxurious appeal.

The design team has approached renovations with a deep respect for history and craftsmanship. Their recent projects ranged from updates to existing bathrooms to complete transformations of derelict spaces. Drummonds’ products played a pivotal role in the renovation, seamlessly combining heritage design with modern luxury.

The bathrooms at Skibo Castle required updating to both preserve the original aesthetic and offer guests the highest level of comfort. With much of the castle’s interiors dating back to the Edwardian period, maintaining historical continuity was crucial. The Drummonds range, with its classic and refined designs, provided the ideal solution to either replicate historical bathrooms or replace aging fixtures while remaining true to the castle’s original aesthetic.

 

 

The design brief for the bathrooms was clear: create a fre­sh yet timeless look that respects the castle’s heritage. Inspired by the original interiors, which were crafted with the finest materials available in their era, the design team aimed to maintain continuity between old and new. The renovations were planned meticulously to ensure that new features blended seamlessly with existing elements, reinforcing the aesthetic harmony across the estate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working closely with Claire Welsh Design, careful consideration was taken when selecting the surfaces and finishes in Skibo Castle’s bathrooms. With a sensitive mix of classic floral and geometric wallpapers, from Robert Kime and Colefax & Fowler, and soft complementary paint finishes from Farrow and Ball, the result was a sophisticated interplay of textures and colours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One unique advantage Skibo Castle holds, is its ownership of a stone business, allowing the team to source high-quality materials on-site. For the bathrooms, Arabescato marble was used for tiling and sink surrounds, further elevating the sense of opulence in each space.

For the bath, vanity, and brassware, Drummonds was the clear choice. The design team selected polished Nickel finishes to maintain a timeless quality that resonated with the materials originally used in the castle. These classic designs helped create continuity between the original fittings and the newly installed pieces, creating a cohesive and elegant look across the property.

At Skibo Castle, preserving history while embracing modern luxury is an art form. Since the completion of the renovations, feedback from guests has been overwhelmingly positive. Many first-time visitors to the castle are unable to tell which features are original and which are new, a testament to the seamless integration of Drummonds’ products into the historic interiors. Members and guests alike appreciate the luxurious feel and timeless elegance that the newly renovated bathrooms offer.

For the team at Skibo, Drummonds has been a trusted partner since the castle first opened as a private members’ club in 1995. The quality and aesthetic of Drummonds’ products have proven to stand the test of time. Even those fixtures that have been in place for nearly 30 years look as good as the day they were installed. This durability, combined with a timeless design ethos, makes Drummonds the perfect choice for a property as historically significant as Skibo Castle.