Megan and Ryan show us their bold and beautiful home near Banff

Who: Megan Chalmers, 29, a nurse, her husband Ryan, 28, an electrician, their daughter Rory, 13 months, and their adorable dog Tavish.

What: A stunning, converted townhouse.

Where: 1 Ladysbridge House, Ladysbridge Drive, just two miles from Banff.

Megan and Ryan Chalmers have loved putting their own stamp on their amazing townhouse. Image: Megan Chalmers

Period charm and character exudes from the exterior. Image: Low and Partners

Here Megan shares their renovation journey…

“We were both living at home with our parents when we found this converted townhouse in Ladysbridge House which is part of the former mental health hospital just outside Banff.

For us, we liked the area of Ladysbridge, especially as it’s within a 10-minute drive of our families.

There’s also a great community spirit in Ladysbridge as it’s a new, upcoming village within our area with various community activities held throughout the year.

We also loved that although we are in a newly-developed area with new build homes, our property is unique as it has period charm and character on the outside and beautiful modern interiors inside.

Vibrant colours bring positive energy to this fantastic living space. Image: Low and Partners

It’s impossible not to feel cheery in this bright and beautiful living room. Image: Low and Partners

‘Every room is drenched in sunlight’

When we first viewed the property, we fell in love with the double-height ceilings and the large windows which bathe the large spacious rooms in sunlight.

Outside, the beautifully maintained grounds were a huge deciding factor in buying our home.

So we purchased and moved into the property in November 2019.

Inside, there are two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room, a kitchen and bathroom plus a large wrap-around communal garden.

Green tones create a calming atmosphere in the little one’s bedroom. Image: Low and Partners

This spa-like bathroom is the perfect place to freshen up. Image: Low and Partners

‘We’ve added colour and personality’

The house also has a large basement which is accessible from its own door.

We had planned on turning the basement into a granny annexe as it had the relevant permissions, but due to family and work commitments we haven’t been able to make that possible.

When we first got the keys to the house, it had neutral decor and a very minimalistic feel to it.

The features in every room such as lighting, flooring and blinds were the same, so we felt that we needed to add colour and personality to each room to make it our own.

Dreamy pink tones contrast beautifully with darker hues in this serene sanctuary. Image: Low and Partners

Special touches like this pretty flower wall illustrate the care and attention to detail that Megan and Ryan have put into their home. Image: Low and Partners

‘We created a comfortable family home within a budget’

Due to the house being newly renovated, the only work we had to do was cosmetic.

So we enjoyed adding our own flare to the property using colour, different textures and individual pieces.

Due to this being our first home we didn’t have a particular style we both liked.

We just knew that we enjoyed bright and colourful interiors, so we did everything on a budget while trying to create a comfortable family home.

Every corner of this home has been thoughtfully designed. Image: Low and Partners

As the wall quote says, you better grab your dancing shoes. Image: Low and Partners

‘We love upcycling’

In terms of sourcing our furniture and decorations, we went to all sorts of different places both online and in-person, including Facebook Marketplace, local thrift shops as well as a good few trips to Ikea.

We love being thrifty and upcycling so we enjoyed experimenting with what worked and what didn’t work in the large space we had available.

In terms of interiors, finding a style that worked for both of us was challenging but very enjoyable, and we think our house shows how much fun and love we have had creating our first family home together.