Property inspiration: Aberdeen couple put their magic touch on Rosemount home

Jonathan Tait and his wife Lorraine have given their beautiful Edwardian home a contemporary feel while paying homage to the property's traditional features.

By Rosemary Lowne

November 2 2023, 11:45 am

Jonathan Tait and his wife Lorraine have given their Edwardian villa in Aberdeen a contemporary yet traditional feel. Image: Jonathan Tait

It was the stunning stained glass windows, feature fireplaces and striking cornices that Jonathan Tait and his wife Lorraine fell in love with when they first viewed the five bedroom Edwardian villa they would call for the next 29 years.

Located in the vibrant area of Rosemount, the couple have worked hard to create a contemporary yet traditional home for their three children.

As they prepare for an exciting new chapter in their lives, Jonathan shares their DIY journey and why it’s best not to decorate the whole house at once.

Belvidere Crescent

Who: Jonathan Tait, 65, consultant solicitor, his wife Lorraine, 58, a business owner and founder of Blushberry Botanicals and Molly their six-year-old Cavapoo dog. Their three adult Jilly Noble 31, Amy Murtagh 29 and Peter Tait 27 have flown the nest.

What: A semi-detached, five bedroom Edwardian villa.

Where: Belvidere Crescent, Rosemount, Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen home in the Rosemount area — Jonathan and Lorraine were first attracted to the property’s stunning period features. Image: Anderson Bain

As told to Rosemary Lowne

“We had been living in Peterculter but wanted to move closer to the city centre. When we first viewed the property, we loved the original features such as the stained glass, fireplaces, staircase, woodwork and cornices.

My mum grew up in Rosemount so I have fond memories of visiting my granny in Wallfield Crescent. We both love the Rosemount area with its shops, cafes and Victoria Park.

We purchased the property and moved in November 1994. Our priority when moving in was to replace the draughty single glazed windows and to build a driveway to allow for easy parking.

A living area in the rosemount home in Aberdeen, furnished with a leather sofa, wooden coffee table, a wooden unit and TV stand. A white fireplace is on the feature wall that's painted a shade of red, matching the curtains. — The striking feature fireplace, cornicing and bay window blend beautifully with the red hues and wooden furniture. Image: Andersonbain

The dining room in the home, with wood tones and green accents. — Fresh green tones bring vibrancy to this fantastic dining area. Image: Andersonbain

We have lived in the house for nearly 29 years and I think most rooms have been decorated four or five times or more.

Some of the work included upgrading and installing a new kitchen. We also installed a cloakroom, we replaced the bathroom and we landscaped the front garden for easy maintenance.

Contemporary decor in Rosemount home in Aberdeen

With the décor we wanted to make it more contemporary while retaining the original features. The aim was to create a colourful and welcoming family home. In many rooms, the colour palette was inspired by existing features such as the original fireplace tiles or stained glass.

In terms of paint, we prefer to get custom mixed paint from Dulux so we can colour match to the existing features. So we have a mixture of light neutrals to give a feeling of calm and space while adding some bolder coloured walls and colourful accessories.

A wooden door with stained glass window — The stained glass window catches the eye. Image: Andersonbain

Another living area with a blue tile, a wicker living chair, a blue cushioned chair and a desk next to the window — The blue tiled feature fireplace is the focal point of this room. Image: Andersonbain

Our favourite furniture items are a traditional pine Scotch dresser and a 1930s bureau which belonged to my granny which has been upcycled using Rust-Oleum matt furniture paint to complement the green hues in the dining room.

Lorraine has also upcycled some traditional wooden chairs and a glass display cabinet in green shades to go with the green wood panelling in the dining room.

The greatest challenge for us was fitting the mosaic tiles in the bathroom. Lorraine is a keen DIY enthusiast so decided to take on the project. It was really tricky installing the tiles, very time consuming but worth the effort.

The kitchen in the rosemount home in Aberdeen, with wooden cupboards, white countertops and green walls — The light green shades give the kitchen a fresh and crisp feel. Image: Andersonbain

The bathroom, with a bath, shower, sink white tiled walls and blue floor tiles. The toilet is behind the camera — Laying the mosaic tiles in the bathroom was a challenge but one that Lorraine relished. Image: Andersonbain

We are happy with the way things have turned out. Our house is bright and welcoming and has been a great family home to raise our children in. The back garden is sheltered and sunny in summer – an ideal place for a family barbecue.

In winter the focal point is the cosy log fire in the lounge. We both work from home and enjoy having the space to do so. We are in a quiet location yet walking distance from the city centre and local amenities. Molly loves the park (Victoria) and the nearby dog friendly cafes.

Our top decorating tip would be that you don’t have to do up the whole house at once. It can be done room by room which is less disruptive.”