This city mews in Glasgow's west end was designed by architectural graduates and features a wealth of unique features.

WHEN you buy a property, you don't just buy a roof for over your head – you buy a lifestyle, a place to put down roots and, most importantly, a space that will become your home, soon to be filled with memories.

It's no wonder then that Ian and Fiona Robertson – who bought their beautiful mews property in Glasgow's west end in 1990 – are finding it so hard to leave their home behind.

But with their daughter now living in Alloway, the couple have followed to be close by. Nevertheless, they are sad to say goodbye to the home they have loved and lived in.

"We're both very emotional leaving it," says Ian, who recalls, like it was yesterday, the moment his wife knew they had to buy the place. "She said she had goosebumps and she had to have this house."

It was from their former home on the same street that the couple had watched the conversion of the mews property from their windows.

"We could see it taking shape and were very intrigued by it. When it came up for sale, we loved the look of it and jumped at the chance to buy it," said Ian.

The property was completed by two architects who had just graduated. "This was their graduation piece and they put a lot of care and attention into it." said Ian. "It was their pet project."

The two-storey interior is a marvel; the timber roof creates different angles that make it feel almost like a cathedral.

Ian added: "It's just really sweet and they also built this wonderful conservatory."

It's one of the property's best features and is made of extremely hard-wearing wood giving it a permanence which makes it feel totally part of the property.

But aside from the look and feel of the home, the location and setting was also a draw.

Ian said: "What we particularly liked was, although it was in Glasgow, it has a wonderful country feel about it."

It exists in the middle of Kelvinside, on a tree-lined street, at the rear of a period townhouse.

The Botanic Gardens and the shops and restaurants of the west end are all minutes away.

But there's also plenty of outdoor space at the mews.

Off the sitting room – with its fireplace and French doors – is a south-facing private roof, littered with flowers and plenty of space to sunbathe in the summer.

"It's not overlooked at all," says Ian, "so it's like being in the country."

And at the back, there is also a private landscaped garden area – also south-facing – for the sole use of the mews and home to a lovely rowan tree.

To have both a balcony and a garden is unusual and just one thing that makes the mews so special. They both give a taste of the outdoors with little maintenance involved.

With such exemplary architectural work already in place when the couple moved in, little was done to the interior aside from the usual, replacing over time of the kitchen and bathroom, both of which fit the style completely but look totally contemporary at the same time.

"It's a time capsule of when it was built," says Ian. "We didn't want to do anything to it because the architects had been so specific to their design, it would have spoiled it."

What: A beautifully finished mews property, featuring a landscaped private garden.

Where: On Cleveden Road in Glasgow's west end.

Price: Offers over £199,000

Contact: Corum on 0141 357 1888 or log on to www.corumproperty.co.uk