Video: 79 Salisbury Place, Aberdeen
Granite townhouse treated with loving care
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ANNA and Tim Sykes thought the property for sale in Salisbury Place was out of their league but they didn’t reckon on the goodwill of its owner.
Anna, 39, said: “At the time we lived in a flat just round the corner in Braemar Place. When Katy came along we thought we had better look for somewhere with more space.
“We wanted to stay in the area, possibly in an old granite property with original features and nice proportions, that kind of thing.
“This house was on the market at the time but, to be honest, we thought it would be out of our league.
“However the lady selling it loved the house, and wanted to see it pass on to a family who would love it as much as she had.
“I think she took a shine to us.”
The couple couldn’t believe their luck.
“When we looked at it from the street we said ‘how on earth do you get five bedrooms in there’.
“Once inside, our first impression was that it was a great house with great accommodation.
“What we also liked about it was the location. It doesn’t feel like you are in the city centre, it’s so quiet.”
Anna said: “The nice thing about this house is that there are no rooms unused. I like a house to be used, with no unloved corners.”
Anna’s style is simple and stylish. She said: “I tend to let things evolve and like to keep things quite plain so you don’t have to redecorate every five minutes.
“I use accessories to add colour as these can be changed around more easily.
“I usually go for practical things – with three kids you have to.”
Anna and Tim, 42, a geophysicist with Maersk, took down walls between three rooms to make one huge room at the back.
“We wanted one big area where I could be in the kitchen and the kids could be doing their own things.
“On a daily basis this space is much better for us as a family.”
It is now a combined kitchen, dining area and somewhere to unwind and relax.
The old galley kitchen was transformed into a utility room.
The spacious lounge with its high ceilings, bay window and fireplace retains many original features.
“We use it every day but do try to keep it free of toys if we can,” she said.
A beautiful staircase leads to the first floor.
“We removed sinks and also took down a wall between two bedrooms to make one large room.”
The bright and airy master bedroom with en-suite shower room is extremely spacious with plenty of room for free-standing furniture.
Bedrooms two and three are both bright and airy double-size rooms.
On the second floor one bedroom is used as a place where the kids can take their friends, the other is a guest room.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is the front door and screen,” said Anna.
“It needed a lot of attention and I was advised to rip it out but I found a chap who was brilliant at restoration.
“He also advised us to paint it black, the traditional colour to have against granite, So that’s what we went with. I would take it with me if I could,” Anna said..
Being south-facing the totally enclosed garden is a sun trap.
It’s mainly lawn to give the children more space to play in.
“I like it. With three little darlings, Olivia10, Katy, 8 , and Sam, 4, I don’t have much time to do the garden.”
As Sam is off to school in August Anna will have more spare time on her hands.
Anna said: “We are looking for more of a project something we can get our teeth into.
“We have been really happy here, it’s a lovely house to live in and its practical space works very well for a family.”
