There’s never a night on the telly when you won’t find some kind of interior-design or house-building programme.
From Grand Designs to the Great British Interior Design, amazing houses across the nation are singled out for their innovative creation.
Now closer to home, there is a chance to celebrate the architectural brilliance in the north-east with the Aberdeenshire Design Awards.
The event is held every two years and was established in 1997. It recognises those who have shown skill in local construction and renovation projects.
Nominations can be put forward for those who have taken part in various projects such as, new-build, regeneration, conservation, restoration, conservation or extensions.
Some of the categories included in the awards scheme include housing, business, conservation, landscape design, sustainability, craftsmanship and public art.
At the previous awards, a score of different projects were acknowledged for their excellence.
Your Home speaks to two previous winners who have very different but equally impressive award-winning homes.
WESTER WATERLAIR Fordoun
Tony Allen, 50, had just sold his house in Johnshaven and decided to rent while he looked at his options.
He soon heard about a plot of land that turned out to be the perfect place for his next home.
Tony said: “I was looking at lots of options, but then someone mentioned that there was this piece of ground which had a derelict steading on it that had come up for sale.
“I went to go see it and sometimes you get a building plot and it turns out to be a corner of a field or next to a steading, but this was ideal. It was surrounded by trees with a forest at the back of it and fantastic views.”
And he knew exactly what type of house he wanted to build – something from the art deco era.
His idea was inspired by the Midland Hotel in Morecambe – a place he used to holiday at as a child – and got A.B. Roger and Young to design it and Peterkin Homes to build it.
“There are very few art deco designs in this area; We have the Carron Restaurant in Stonehaven, but in some areas like Glasgow there are a lot more,” he said.
“I just fancied something different and I am really pleased with how it worked out. The project went really well and the house is fantastic to live in. It has all the benefits of modern technology, like underfloor heating.
“The house is really unusual in that most houses are designed with a triangle on top and a square underneath and every corner is the same, but this house has five corners and every angle is different.”
The striking white four-bedroom house is located just outside the village of Fordoun, with even the garage receiving an art deco frontage.
Among the features that have become Tony’s favourite, the lounge was one of the best, due to it being flooded with lots of light – a feature he really wanted in the house overall.
“The design is also interesting because it is an optical illusion,” he added.
“When you look at the house from the front of the tower, it looks very compact. It looks like a tower with an outbuilding attached to it. But if you go down the garden, it looks as big as a hotel.”
He said he thoroughly enjoyed the whole process, with the only downside being that he decided to stay in a static caravan on site.
“I had to endure the two worst winters on record, so it was horrendous,” he said.
“Everything froze; we ended up with no water for a week. But at least I could see the house taking shape on a daily basis.”
Tony and his team of architects and builders decided to enter the Aberdeenshire Design Awards after being encouraged to do so by someone in the council’s planning office.
And the project won them a commended award.
Tony said: “I was very pleased. Architecture is very subjective. I love my house and lots of people have been very complimentary, but you have to realise that not everyone likes the same styles of architecture, so this was a great validation of all the hard work and thought that went into it.”
THE GOAT SHED Den of Keithfield, Tarves
This beautiful contemporary house is broken into three distinct forms by a light glazed structure that allows the building to fit perfectly into its woodland setting.
Originally, an old steading sat on the site. But after Susan and Chris Oliver bought the site, they decided to create their own dream home.
“This house is built in the grounds of our previous house,” explained Susan, 54.
“We’d never built a house before, but we thought it was a great way to get the house that you wanted. We didn’t plan on it right away, but once we started to cut down some of the trees we started to see the potential.”
Working with Glen Strachan, architect, the couple created a woodland retreat for themselves.
“We did give Glen free rein, but we also gave him some ideas. We wanted something light and airy and we ended up getting everything we asked for and more.
“I think my kitchen and dining room looking out to the woodland is lovely; it’s just a lovely house.”
Susan and Chris decided to enter the awards after it was suggested by their architect. And they were delighted that their five-bedroom house won a distinction award – more so for Glen than themselves.
“We were very pleased with our house and it’s nice to give some recognition to the architect and the builders,” Susan said.
Nominations for this year’s awards close on February 21.
The first phase of judging for the awards ceremony is set to take place in April.
Further judging will then be carried out in July, before winners are announced at the ceremony in September.