Video: 2 King’s Cross, Aberdeen

Couple searching for smaller property as kids move out

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ABERDEEN’s West End has always held a special place in Joan Gammack’s heart.

And after moving from the area to the city’s suburbs and ending up running a “taxi” service into the city for daughters Janine and Maria, she couldn’t wait to move back.

So when the chance to snap up 2 King’s Cross Road came up, Joan didn’t have to think twice.

The 47-year-old personal assistant for PSN said: “I knew after a couple of years that I had to get back into town.”

Joan and her husband, 51-year-old businessman Ronnie, had lived with their family in a property they'd developed in Great Western Road before their move out of town. And once they started searching for another central property, they quickly came across 2 King’s Cross Road.

“We could see the potential in it straight away. There was no way that anyone could build behind it as it backs right onto the hill of Rubislaw and the Denburn nature reserve.

“We instantly thought how good this would be for our Scottish terrier, Mack.

“Plus there was plenty of room to renovate and extend.”

Joan and Ronnie had built up a rich experience of home renovation in their previous four properties.

So while the task of changing the bathroom and building an en suite, dressing room and a new garage would overwhelm most mere mortals, this couple were eager for the challenge.

“Although we didn't do any of the actual work ourselves, we loved doing all the planning and watching it improve.

“It took three and a half years to get everything exactly as we wanted it, but it was an absolutely wonderful project.”

The first job was the new bathroom suite, soon followed by the shower room and dressing room. Next was the kitchen and dining room extension, which the family are especially pleased with.

“It’s a great space for socialising with the sideboard cupboards making it more practical for when we have dinner parties.

“It’s modern-looking but we also went for a Mediterranean feel.”

The couple lived in Southern Spain 20 years ago and love the earthy warmth of Spanish style, so they carried this theme into their drawing room.

“We added quite a lot of Med colours in the paintings and curtains as we always liked that feel when we lived there.”

However living in Aberdeen, they had to combine this earthy look with comfort.

“Initially we had the original wooden flooring exposed, but it was too draughty so we opted for carpets.

“With two daughters and friends zipping in and out all the time, it has to feel like a home,” said Joan.

Once the couple got the interior the way they wanted it, the time was right to start work outside.

By transforming a corrugated iron structure into a sturdy double garage they added lots of storage space.

Then they re-turfed the gardens, re-planned the border shrubs and built a patio.

“It’s south-facing so it’s absolutely fantastic.

“It gets the sun a lot of the time and is great for barbecues and socialising.”

Having spent the first three and half years doing it up, the family then spent the next three and half years enjoying their dream home.

However, now that 24-year-old Maria has moved out the couple are looking to down-size.

Joan said: “Now that Maria’s gone and Ronnie’s really busy with his job, the upkeep of this big house and garden seems too much.

“We haven’t decided where we are going to be moving to as yet but we’re hoping it'll still be in the West End.”