Home with wow factor set in stone
from the outside it may look like an unassuming terraced home, typical of many other substantial granite properties on leafy, upmarket city streets. But the interior of this house in Aberdeen’s West End is far from traditional, with styling incorporating minimalist Bauhaus principles, the early 20th century arts movement favouring clean lines and geometric shapes.
The updated living space is cleverly lit, with impressive floorto-ceiling bi-folding glazed doors paired with a row of narrow skylights close to the ceiling.
The monochrome effect is achieved through the choice of swish white kitchen units, a quartz-topped central island and silver-fronted appliances. Anyone approaching the home on Desswood Place would not anticipate the triumph of design that has been achieved within.
The hallway is as traditional as they come, the formal lounge giving visitors no indication that this is anything other than an attractive period property.
But the wow factor is provided by a modern extension at the rear of the house, which has unified a number of rooms into one sleek, open-plan family area which must be a pleasure to occupy.
Convention has not been entirely abandoned in this space, which still relies on a fireplace and AGA wood-burning stove to deliver a cosy focal point for this part of the room.
Upstairs, six bedrooms have been luxuriously decorated, the larger ones making use of the traditional picture rail to create a two-tone palette finished in neutral colours. The master bedroom has an en suite bathroom with shower cubicle and bath tub.
The rear garden has been landscaped to make maximum use of the available space, starting with an extensive raised patio accessed from the dining room.
The converted double garage, with electric roller door, has been fitted it out as a man cave, complete with golf simulator, TV, fridge and sofa.
It might also work as a cinema room or gym, depending on the new owner’s energy levels.
Aberdeen’s property market has failed to match the post-Covid boom prices being achieved elsewhere in the country, largely as a result of the downturn in the oil and gas industry.
But the facilities which made the West End popular in the first place have not changed. The city centre lies within easy reach and the immediate area contains a lovely range of specialist shops and independent cafes, while the Foresterhill hospital complex is within walking distance
Quality properties of this period have an enduring appeal – and when adapted for modern living as spectacularly as this, they will always attract a queue of appreciative viewers. n