Not bad for a coo shed!
Steading is transformed into chic family home
THERE was no “waiting till the cows come home” for Angelique and Gavin Robb. When they spied a steading for sale on the outskirts of Aberdeen they didn’t hesitate, snapping up the building which was to become their dream home.
Says American Angelique: “It was spur of the moment. We saw it for sale in the paper and immediately decided to buy it.”
That was in 2007 and it was a moo-ve that proved to be a winner. Angelique – owner of Papillon Design and Landscaping – laughs: “Before any building work started, we hosed the muck off the walls and floors, cleaned it up and got married in our very own ‘coo shed’. It was amazing!”
The building came with planning consent to convert it into a small, narrow house.
But the couple knew that more could be achieved. They wanted a spacious home where the outdoors would merge almost seamlessly with the interior.
And the aim was to rebuild the existing structure, adding a completely new section linked by glass.
Angelique – mum to Scarlet, eight, and Gus, five – reveals: “We worked with Glasgow-based architect Andy McAvoy and the planning department for 18 months to gain permission to build our dream home.
“While this was happening we lived in a static caravan on our land. It was crazy because we had a toddler and I was pregnant with our second child, but in reality it turned out to be the best decision as I was on site to project manage and make any quick decisions that needed made.”
Planning regulations meant the couple had to knock down the existing stone building segment by segment and rebuild in the same order. Angelique explains: “It was a lengthy process. We then added the house’s new building. Gavin clad the exterior in corten steel which is mainly used in shipbuilding and gives an amazing rusted, weathered look. Having the house light and bright and an outdoor-indoor feel was extremely important to us, so the use of windows and glass was at the forefront of the design.”
Gavin, a consultant with oil giant Shell, and Angelique had to battle with the planning department to include their statement glass walkway in the project, but it was worth the fight.