Photos: Louise gives Aberdeen apartment in Ferryhill an amazing makeover

Lousie Witter says she's a bit 'addicted' to home improvements after giving her home in Rosebank Place a fabulous makeover.

By Rosemary Lowne

June 27 2024, 11:45 am

The bold wallpaper catches the eye at 8 Rosebank Place. Image: Laurie and Co

Who: Louise Witter, who runs a consultancy specialising in chemical legislation and her enormous cat Leo.

What: An exceptional self-contained three bedroom double upper apartment.

Where: 8 Rosebank Place, a quiet cul-de -sac just off the Hardgate. The home is in Ferryhill but it is also close to all the shops in Holburn Street and it’s a 10-15 minute walk to the train station and Union Square.

Louise Witter has spent 14 years renovating her amazing apartment in Rosebank Place. Image: Louise Witter

8 Rosebank Place, Ferryhill Aberdeen

As told to Rosemary Lowne

“I was renting a big house in Springbank Terrace with friends and was ready to find my own place.

I found this property on the ASPC website and when I first viewed it, I loved the potential of the place.

I was really looking for a two-bedroom flat with one big bedroom for me and one good sized bedroom for guests.

Louise instantly saw the potential in this attractive apartment. Image: Laurie and Co

I fell in love with the size of the living space downstairs and I realised that I could be decadent and sprawl across two bedrooms instead of one big one.

I was being too fixated on my wish list to start with but the house turned out better than I ever envisaged.

So I moved into the property in September 2010.

When I moved in the kitchen had just been fitted and possibly the fireplace but nothing else had been done.

Pops of colour and texture bring to life this beautiful dining space. Image: Laurie and Co

Apart from the kitchen and the fireplace, I’ve changed everything else in the house including installing a new boiler and a new bathroom plus fitting new windows, a cast iron radiator, a dressing room and I even upcycled a bed for the guest room.

In 2015 I got a garden office and I installed a driveway with electric gates plus I completely re-landscaped the garden.

In the past year or so I’ve changed all the floors to a white wood and I’ve also re-done the metalwork on the stairs.

The kitchen is sleek and stylish. Image: Laurie and Co

I’ve also had the understairs cupboard extended and upgraded to a shiny new utility room.

I started renovating shortly after I moved in and I never stopped.

In terms of the property itself, it’s really unusual as it’s a Victorian flat which I believe was above the shop (which is now an own door flat below).

It was converted into a double upper long before I moved in almost 15 years ago.

The flat feels more like a house as it has its own garden, driveway and front door.

Quirky interiors give this space charm and character. Image: Laurie and Co

It’s at the end of a terrace and has a side return so there are windows looking in three directions, including over the garden.

The lower floor has a really big kitchen dining room and a large, quirky living room with a window seat next to the fireplace.

There’s a handy utility room as well.

Upstairs there are two cosy bedrooms and the third bedroom is being used as a walk-in wardrobe/ dressing room while I enjoy pottering about in the charcoal grey bathroom.

Flower power is at its finest in the hallways. Image: Laurie and Co

In terms of interiors, it’s gone through a few iterations but latterly I’ve gone for a bolder look especially in the hallways where I’ve used a fabulous wallpaper called Glasshouse Flora by Graham and Brown.

I’ve never had proper wallpaper before so I just went for it.

Tony Yeats did a brilliant job with the decorating.

In terms of furniture, most of it was either custom reupholstery of antiques by Aberdeen company Shades of Blue and Grey or purchased locally from Annie Mo’s.

This bedroom has a boutique hotel feel to it. Image: Laurie and Co

Magda at Shades of Blue and Grey has a real eye for pieces and she also upcycled the bed in the spare room to match the walls which are painted in Stiffkey Blue by Farrow and Ball.

She also upholstered the headboard to match the curtains which are a fabric called ‘Heat of the Night Indigo by Linwood.

Other pieces have been done in herringbone wool from Moon of England and more elegant velvets which are less ‘fluffy’.

Dressmaker Vessi Preston also worked with Magda to create matching curtains and cushions in both the guest bedroom and living room and she also upholstered the window seat.