Bekka and Rob bring cosy country cottage vibes to their home between Old Aberdeen and Kittybrewster

Bekka and Rob have added character and charm to their first family home.

By Rosemary Lowne

February 1 2024, 11:45 am

Bekka and Rob Starr have given their 1950s mid terraced property a magnificent makeover. Image: Aberdein Considine

Sleek and stylish but with all the cosiness of a country cottage is how Bekka and Rob Starr describe their beautifully renovated Aberdeen home.

It was during lockdown when the couple, who have a two-year-old daughter Elle, started to refurbish their two bedroom mid-terraced property in Sunnyside Avenue.

Here Bekka explains how they transformed their home and advises other people to be brave when it comes to adding colour.

Sunnyside Avenue

Who: Bekka Starr, an NHS dietician, her husband Rob and their two-year-old daughter Elle.

What: Two-bedroom mid-terraced property dating back to the 1950s.

Where: Sunnyside Avenue, a quiet street tucked away off the main road at the back of Old Aberdeen/Kittybrewster.

Aberdeen couple Bekka and Rob Starr share their renovation journey. Image: Bekka Starr

As told to Rosemary Lowne

“We found the property on ASPC as we were looking at all the areas within walking distance to the hospital.

When we first viewed the house, I fell in love with the kitchen, the fireplace in the living room and the big windows. We knew we wanted this to be our first family home as it had a very cosy feel to it.

So we bought the house in 2018, but we were getting married in the Autumn of 2019, so when we first moved in our focus was very much on wedding planning and organising.

The living room within the renovated Aberdeen home features touches of tartan. — The beautiful living room features touches of tartan and everything but the coffee tables were sourced second hand. Image: Aberdein Considine

I knew I wanted to redecorate almost every room but it wasn’t until 2020/2021 during lockdown that I really got into decorating and styling the house.

The kitchen had already been renovated as had the upstairs bathroom, so it was really only the interiors we had to focus on which was great for me as that’s the bit I enjoy.

We’ve decorated the living room, hall and both bedrooms and we’ve also replaced the flooring in the kitchen and bathrooms and both exterior doors.

My favourite project was designing the front door. I always think a colourful front door lights up a house and I also chose a custom door handle and letter box to complete the look.

Stylish kitchen in the Aberdeen property, featuring grey cabinets and light herringbone flooring. — The kitchen is sleek and stylish. Image: Aberdein Considine

I’ve always liked the idea of creating a cosy cottage feel but was aware we are in a city centre, so I tried to marry those two somewhere in the middle. There’s also a little nod to Scotland throughout the house – be it with tartan or prints of Doric phrases.

In terms of furniture a lot of it was sourced second hand and up-cycled where needed.

In the living room everything but the coffee tables were sourced second hand. The kitchen is from IKEA and the chairs were old wicker ones which belonged to a friend and I took them and painted them white to modernise them.

Navy walls contrast beautifully with neutral tones in this sumptuous bedroom in the renovated Aberdeen home. — Navy walls contrast beautifully with neutral tones in this sumptuous bedroom inside the renovated Aberdeen home. Image: Aberdein Considine

Our bed frame was also second hand and black when we got it, and again I painted it white to better fit our style.

For the paint, I knew I wanted the living room to be neutral and to keep the colour of the fireplace, so I went with Egyptian Cotton from Dulux.

This carries through to the hall, along with a custom cream I had matched to the cream in the living room curtains to help with cohesiveness.

In the master bedroom, I wanted to do something bold with navy, but wasn’t confident enough to make the whole room that colour, so we went with a feature wall instead using Naval Blue, a paint from Valspar.

Crisp whites and pretty interiors create a peaceful and soothing ambience in the kids bedroom. — Crisp whites and pretty interiors create a peaceful and soothing ambience in little Elle’s bedroom. Image: Aberdein Considine

In the second bedroom, we had to keep things neutral as it was decorated while I was pregnant with our daughter but we didn’t know if we were having a boy or a girl.

The greatest challenge for me was finding confidence in using colour.

In my next project I think I’ll use much more colour, much more liberally, but when it’s our first home and first time creating a space for yourself, it can be easy to feel safer in a neutral pallet.

The upstairs bathroom floor was one of our last renovations and I think it shows there I was starting to feel more confident in quirky interiors.

Bathroom featuring bathtub and mosaic style flooring. — The mosaic style floor in the bathroom creates a Mediterranean feel in the bathroom of the renovated Aberdeen home. Image: Aberdein Considine

Even after re-decorating almost every room, the kitchen is still my favourite place. I love to cook and it will always be the best room in the house for me.

Our house feels like a space to relax with the people most important to us.

My advice for any other first time buyers like us would be to embrace your own style and don’t just do what’s currently trending.

And don’t be scared of colour.”