The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Home to watch the seasons roll by
Just sit back and enjoy the view, writes Laura Redpath
The upper landing of Paddock Hurst, at Craigearn, Aberdeenshire, is an upper landing that would daze those who aren’t even interested in home interiors.
When Tesco delivery drivers drop off John and Catherine Grove’s groceries, they look up at the glass-framed walkway and say: “Wow.”
And rightly so. This focal point isn’t something that would work in just any house. It’s the kind of thing that takes a lot of careful planning to achieve.
Luckily for John, 62 and Catherine, 49, when they bought the house nearly 14 years ago, there was already planning permission to convert what was a twobedroom bungalow into a four- bedroom home on two levels.
“We decided to work with the planning permission but to make one big bedroom with an en suite and walk-in wardrobe,” recalled Catherine, a senior business analyst.
Once we had done that, I was being a typical woman and wanted a bigger kitchen so we talked about it and eventually made the decision to extend it.
“It was just going to be an extension of what was already there, but then I went away for work, came back and John and the architect had completely redesigned it.”
Now finished, the area comprises a large kitchen with a mezzanine that comes out from the bedroom. A walk way overlooks the family room and kitchen and there’s a space for an office and comfy chairs to enjoy the views of the golf course nearby.
“It’s a lovely and private space,” said Catherine.
“We were going to put in stairs but we wanted to keep it as it is.”
John and Catherine moved into the property, which is on the market for offers over £415,000, from Banchory with the intention of putting their own stamp on the house.
It was the first home the couple bought together and they wanted something rural that would suit their working lifestyle.
“I was originally looking for property but when I came to see this I could have lived in a tent,” said Catherine.
“The view from our land is just fabulous and it’s what got me to buy it more than anything else.”
The house was in good condition when the Groves moved in, if only a little bit dated.
When walking through the door, visitors are greeted with a warm hallway where double solid oak doors lead into the spacious lounge.
Styled in neutral tones this room benefits from superb open views to the front of the property towards the River Don and Bennachie while a multifuel stove housed in a ceramic fireplace adds to the property’s homely ambience.
The bedrooms are large with plenty of space for storage with the most striking being the master and en suite upstairs.
This bathroom has been
finished with solid wood flooring, a beamed ceiling and quality tiling to dado level and heated towel rail. A modern three piece white suite takes the spotlight and includes a free standing oval bath with central mixer tap and shower attachment, WC and an attractive ceramic bowl wash hand basin.
Exploring the local area, there is plenty of open space around the house. Kemnay is just a sort distance away where there is a good butcher, hairdresser and food shop.
Now that John is semi retired while Catherine can work from home, the couple have now decided to move south of the border to take in a new adventure. The couple are moving to Devon to enjoy the slightly warmer climate and potentially tap into the tourist market.
“I’ll miss the kitchen and family room the most aswe won’t have anything like that in the house that we’re going to,” said Catherine.
“We’ll miss the country as it’s not as big there as it is in Scotland.
“From where we live now we can see the snow coming in and it’s nice to just sit and watch the seasons.
“It’s mostly the outdoor space that we’ll miss.”