1,615 sq.ft.
Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
BROWN + BROWN ARCHITECTS
Photos © Nigel Rigden
Project team: Kate Brown, Partner; Andrew Brown, Partner; Blair Macintyre, Associate
www.brownandbrownarchitects.com
> OPEN UP KITCHEN TO LIVING AND DINING AREA
> STRIP OFF 1970s FINISHES AND MATERIALS TO EXPOSE ORIGINAL FEATURES.
A VICTORIAN TERRACE GETS A SECOND LIFE WITH SCANDINAVIANSTYLE INTERIORS. ITS OWNERS, EMILY AND ANDREW, WERE HANDS ON WITH SOME OF THE REMODEL TASKS.
“The remodel project of a Victorian terrace seemed fairly straightforward, with no apparent need for complicated structural, plumbing, or electrical work. With these issues out of the way, we could focus on stripping the interior of the house of its 1970s decorative elements. During the process, Emily and Andrew decided to make some structural changes. According to Emily, they were hoping to take down a wall between the dining and living rooms, but the planning department rejected it as the house is protected with a heritage designation bylaw. One change that did get approved was the removal of a nonbearing wall that separated the kitchen and the dining room.
The owners were hands-on in the remodel. That included the meticulous and laborious removal of layers of finishes, including carpet and linoleum flooring, as well as wood paneling covering walls and ceilings. The idea was to expose all original features. In some areas, cornices and skirting were badly damaged or completely gone, but we were able to 3-D laser scan the well-preserved parts so we could replicate them and use the new pieces where we needed them.
The renovation wasn’t as easy as Emily and Andrew originally thought. Their experience in dealing with builders was a big challenge. They had moved temporarily into a rental place during the scheduled duration of the works, and while they actually took on some tasks, work went over schedule. But as Emily puts it, it was a stressful journey at times, but nevertheless a very rewarding one in retrospect.”
Existing ground floor plan
Existing second floor plan
A. |
Entry |
B. |
Hall |
C. |
Living room |
D. |
Closet |
E. |
Sitting room |
F. |
Dining area |
G. |
Kitchen |
H. |
Utility |
I. |
Garden shed |
J. |
Powder room |
K. |
Bedroom |
L. |
Bathroom |
New ground floor plan
New second floor plan
A. |
Entry |
B. |
Hall |
C. |
Living room |
D. |
Powder room |
E. |
Stone terrace |
F. |
Dining area |
G. |
Kitchen |
H. |
Utility room |
I. |
Garden shed |
J. |
Garden |
K. |
Bedroom |
L. |
Bathroom |
M. |
Master bedroom |
N. |
Guest bedroom |
Whenever there’s substantial stripping work to do, there are surprises. Emily said they were told that concrete lay beneath the laminate flooring in the dining area. To everyone’s surprise, the owners found the original flagstones when they pulled the laminate flooring.
Having stripped back the fireplaces and replaced the hearts, the owners realized just how expensive slate is and how much money they had saved by finding the flagstones.
In addition to repairing and sealing the flagstone floor, Emily and Andrew sanded and finished the wood floors and staircase with a white oil stain. They had lived in Copenhagen and had raw pine floors in their place that had to be cleaned weekly using lye soap. They wanted the same look with lower maintenance.
Credits
Architect: Brown + Brown Architects
www.brownandbrownarchitects.com
General contractor: G&K Construction
Structural engineer: Rubislaw Associates
Appliances and Materials
Bathroom: Tiling by Saloni and sanitaryware by Duravit
Flooring: Existing timber flooring, treated with white oil and existing flagstone flooring in the kitchen