GUY and Jill Craig have faithfully restored their period home – right down to the colour of the walls.
The impressive four-bedroom townhouse, which spans four floors, has charming features that have been brought back to life by the pair.
And the project has been a real labour of love for the couple, who share the home with their two sons Jamie, 12, and nine-year-old Tom.
“We bought the house in 1997 after being drawn to it for its traditional features,” said Guy, a 45-year-old hotelier, who formerly owned the Udny Arms Hotel. “We had to do some work to make the most of them, especially in the lounge which had a 1970s style at the time.
“We installed a traditional period fireplace and replaced some of the high skirtings to bring the room back to life.”
As well as the double-moulded skirtings, the property also has high ceilings with ornate cornicing, natural wood-panelled doors and picture rails.
One of the most striking aspects of the property is the bold use of colour throughout.
The lounge has a bright, burnt orange shade while the dining room is a lush, dark blue.
And the tones are faithful to how they might have looked when the house was built in 1880.
“Jill researched the colours we ended up using in the house and found that these were the shades that were popular at the time,” said Guy. “They tended to go for bold, bright colours especially in the public rooms.”
As well as their authentic Victorian rooms, Guy and Jill opted to renovate the lower floor which had once been a coal cellar and a maid’s room.
They have turned this into a cosy and modern family den, with a play area for the boys on a split level towards the back of the room.
It is in the den that they spend much of their time together, as well as in the kitchen which has also been upgraded.
As you would expect from a hotelier, Guy favours his dining room most of all.
“The dining room is probably my favourite room just because it’s a lovely place to entertain family and friends for dinner.
“The lounge is also a good place to start off with some nibbles or something to drink, before moving through.
“Jill’s favourite rooms are probably the new kitchen and the family space downstairs.
“It leads to the garden and in summer we spend quite a bit of time outside playing with the boys, having barbecues and going in and out.”
The Craig family are looking for their next project in the North-east and hope someone else likes their home for the same reasons they did.
Guy added: “It has period features, good-sized rooms, the schools and the park are all nearby and it’s just a short distance from town.”