HOME AT LAST
With a baby due and a dramatic renovation underway, Leanne and Calum Watt faced a race against time to settle into their cosy, family-friendly cottage
One couple faced a race against time to revamp their Aberdeen cottage before they became a family of three
Leanne and Calum Watt love the lifestyle in Aberdeen, once described as the happiest place in Scotland. Having outgrown their three-bedroom semi, the couple wanted a new home nearby with plenty of character. So when they spotted a rundown 100-yearold cottage in 2013, they didn’t hesitate.
‘It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to buy this house – we viewed it on the Tuesday and put our offer in the next day,’ says Leanne. ‘The cottage had no insulation, was freezing cold and covered in brown wallpaper, but we could see its potential.’
The couple moved in with Leanne’s parents for almost a year, while work went ahead on the house. ‘I remember getting the keys on the first day and standing in front of the house, not knowing what at all to do,’ says Leanne. Aided by an architect friend, they reconfigured the layout, planning a single-storey extension that would encompass the full height of the cottage.
The property was ripped back to its shell on day one and a builder friend of Calum’s called in various tradesmen for the electric and plumbing works. ‘This project was way beyond anything we’d done before and no part of the place was left untouched,’ says Calum. ‘I was on site most days, overseeing and building the extension while Leanne, by then pregnant with our son, Innes, handled the design and finances. We knocked down internal walls, installed a new heating system, a new roof and insulation, moved the front door and painted all the rooms.’
The couple were keen to evoke a country cottage feel with luxurious touches, such as a dressing room and spacious bathroom. The master bedroom is situated downstairs, with a staircase leading up to the loft. ‘The house was formerly two cottages that were combined over time,’ says Leanne. ‘The bedroom and loft used to be a cobbler shop, and we did come across lots of old shoe heels.’
On the other side of the house, another set of stairs leads to another bedroom and a nursery. The former living room has been turned into a bathroom after having the old stone fireplace and chimney removed, and a storage cupboard built into the recess.
Leanne and Calum moved into the cottage in May 2015 and Innes was born in September. ‘It was a stressful time, we were trying to finish decorating while looking after Innes,’ says Leanne. ‘I wouldn’t do it again, but the reward was seeing it all finished. On a bright day, the light streams in, and the extension is the perfect place to spend time together with our newest arrival, Murray.
‘This is our happy place now. We’ve put so much work into this renovation that it really makes us appreciate coming home.’
design inspiration ‘I like a country cottage feel mixed with a modern rustic look, which we achieved using reclaimed and upcycled materials’