Houzz Tour: Luxe Modern Update for a Period Scottish Apartment
An early-20th-century unit is refurbished with a bold color palette, quality materials and contemporary furnishings
When the owner of this apartment in Aberdeen, Scotland, first contacted architect Lindsey Hesketh, he had a simple, clear request: Modernize it. “It was pretty run-down, with an odd layout and fixtures,” Hesketh says. “Not much had been done to it for a number of years, and it had also been rented out.”
The complete renovation included installing a new kitchen, building in storage and adding a bathroom to the master bedroom. Hesketh also reconfigured the apartment to create a more logical layout and restored the original features. Interior designer Claire Canning helped dress the space in a palette of monochromes mixed with softer neutral tones as a backdrop for the modern furniture, materials and finishes chosen to convey a feeling of warmth, comfort and quality.
The complete renovation included installing a new kitchen, building in storage and adding a bathroom to the master bedroom. Hesketh also reconfigured the apartment to create a more logical layout and restored the original features. Interior designer Claire Canning helped dress the space in a palette of monochromes mixed with softer neutral tones as a backdrop for the modern furniture, materials and finishes chosen to convey a feeling of warmth, comfort and quality.
The living room walls are a rich, deep blue, providing a dramatic backdrop to the artwork. A border of pale paint above the picture rail prevents the room from feeling too dark or enclosed.
Carnival rug: Paul Smith for The Rug Co.; wall paint: Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball
Carnival rug: Paul Smith for The Rug Co.; wall paint: Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball
This room was originally the master bedroom. “The kitchen was at the back when we first saw this flat,” Hesketh says. “We moved it to the front, where the room has a turret. It overlooks quite a busy road, so it made sense to move the bedroom to the quieter bit of the flat at the back.”
The kitchen is sleek and clean-lined. “We always want to install modern design when we can,” Hesketh says. The kitchen fit easily into the space, and now the owner spends much of his time here.
Cabinets: Häcker; countertops in Nougat: Caesarstone; appliances: Miele; Beat pendant lights: Tom Dixon
The kitchen is sleek and clean-lined. “We always want to install modern design when we can,” Hesketh says. The kitchen fit easily into the space, and now the owner spends much of his time here.
Cabinets: Häcker; countertops in Nougat: Caesarstone; appliances: Miele; Beat pendant lights: Tom Dixon
A neat, circular dining table fits into the bay window in the turret. “It works really nicely as a dining space,” Hesketh says. “There’s an office next door and a row of shops opposite, so there’s quite a bit going on outside and lots of scope for people-watching.”
Curtains in Untitled printed linen in Natural by Kate Blee: Christopher Farr; curtain rod: Silent Gliss; Container table by Marcel Wanders: Moooi; Non Random pendant light by Bertjan pot: Moooi; Eames DSW chair: Vitra
Curtains in Untitled printed linen in Natural by Kate Blee: Christopher Farr; curtain rod: Silent Gliss; Container table by Marcel Wanders: Moooi; Non Random pendant light by Bertjan pot: Moooi; Eames DSW chair: Vitra
A fireplace in what is now the kitchen has been removed. The chimney alcove was converted into shallow shelves.
The renovation involved installing a new furnace, new radiators and new flooring throughout. The kitchen and living room floors are white oiled engineered wood, while the bedrooms have luxurious wool carpet.
Hesketh also created a utility room between the kitchen and living room, in what had been a poorly designed en suite bathroom.
The renovation involved installing a new furnace, new radiators and new flooring throughout. The kitchen and living room floors are white oiled engineered wood, while the bedrooms have luxurious wool carpet.
Hesketh also created a utility room between the kitchen and living room, in what had been a poorly designed en suite bathroom.
The apartment had many attractive original features, which were preserved. “A lot of the cornicing, door architraves and the doors themselves were all in good shape,” Hesketh says. “Some of the architraves are really quite grand.”
Black cabinetry and walls with a dark finish feature throughout the apartment, giving it a bold, monochrome feel that’s softened by gentler tones of gray and beige. In the hallway, the walls are covered with paper by Timorous Beasties.
Black cabinetry and walls with a dark finish feature throughout the apartment, giving it a bold, monochrome feel that’s softened by gentler tones of gray and beige. In the hallway, the walls are covered with paper by Timorous Beasties.
Another key goal of the project was to create more storage. “There was very little built-in storage before,” Hesketh says. In the master bedroom, closets were designed on either side of what had originally been a fireplace.
La Lampe Gras wall lights: available at Twentytwentyone; Classic column radiator: Stelrad; curtains in Thistle fabric: Timorous Beasties; wall paint: Elephant’s Breath, Farrow & Ball
La Lampe Gras wall lights: available at Twentytwentyone; Classic column radiator: Stelrad; curtains in Thistle fabric: Timorous Beasties; wall paint: Elephant’s Breath, Farrow & Ball
To create a luxe feel in the master bathroom, Hesketh chose Carrara marble for the floor, walls and shelf. “We used big pieces of marble rather than tiles,” she says. “It’s timeless and lasts forever. Plus, if you go for solid pieces, it means no grout.”
Vero wall-hung basin and Starck toilet: Duravit
Vero wall-hung basin and Starck toilet: Duravit
The guest bedroom at the back of the apartment features tones of light gray, yellow and mustard with highlights of black and white.
Yellow DLM side table: Hay at Twentytwentyone; Woood desk/side table: Marcel Wanders for Moooi, available at Made In Design; Stool One stool: Another Country; Hay Strap mirror: available at Nest; shade in Untitled printed linen in Natural by Kate Blee: Christopher Farr
Yellow DLM side table: Hay at Twentytwentyone; Woood desk/side table: Marcel Wanders for Moooi, available at Made In Design; Stool One stool: Another Country; Hay Strap mirror: available at Nest; shade in Untitled printed linen in Natural by Kate Blee: Christopher Farr
The guest bathroom was originally the kitchen. Now it houses the new furnace (the access panel can be seen on the wall) and plenty of storage hidden within a mirrored cabinet. “It sits next to the main guest bedroom and can be shut off to operate like an en suite,” Hesketh says, “so guests have a private bathroom.”
Vero wall-hung basin and Starck toilet: Duravit; tiles: Strata Tiles; Stool One stool: Another Country
Vero wall-hung basin and Starck toilet: Duravit; tiles: Strata Tiles; Stool One stool: Another Country
The third bedroom doubles as a study. “The owner really needed two spare bedrooms, but this is quite a flexible space that can be used for working from home or for extra guests,” Hesketh says.
Shade in Span linen in Smoke: Christopher Farr
Shade in Span linen in Smoke: Christopher Farr
The apartment is on the second floor of an early-20th-century granite building in Aberdeen’s West End. Moving the kitchen-dining room to the front (seen on the right) gave these spaces views of the street below.
The floor plan shows the new, more functional layout.
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Who lives here: A single professional man
Location: West End of Aberdeen, Scotland
Size: Three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designers: Lindsey Hesketh of ABN7 Architects and interior design studio Claire Canning Design
The apartment has a timeless feel thanks to the marriage of traditional details with new, contemporary elements. In the living room, modern furniture and rich, dark walls complement the room’s architectural features. The original cornicing and plasterwork were repaired and new oak boards were laid.
The original fireplace had already been removed. “It had been replaced with a horrible mantelpiece and new insert,” Hesketh says. They found a new marble surround that was similar to what would have been there originally.
Armchair: Vitra; Oscar armchair (by the window): Matthew Hilton, SCP; Raimond pendant lights: Moooi