This quirky Aberdeen home is a work of art

Take a look inside Amy and Andrew Stewart's characterful home in Wellington Road.

By Rosemary Lowne

September 21 2023, 11:45 am

This superb Aberdeen home has been brought to life by art collectors Amy and Andrew Stewart. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

Creating a home that surprises people when they walk through the front door is what Amy Stewart and her husband Andrew aspired to when they moved into their traditional Aberdeen property.

Avid art collectors, the couple have used their vast array of contemporary paintings and portraits to add personality to their home decor.

Throwing open the doors to their period property, Amy shares hints and tips on how art can transform the mood and atmosphere in your home.

Hazel Bank

Who: Amy Stewart, 35, an architect, her husband Andrew, 36, who works offshore and their two children Jacob, three, and five-month-old Lewis.

What: A four-bedroom, semi-detached traditional home dating back to 1900.

Where: Hazel Bank, Wellington Road, Aberdeen.

Amy and Andrew Stewart with their children, Jacob, right, and Lewis. Image: Amy Stewart

As told to Rosemary Lowne

“I’ve always loved properties that give you a nice surprise when you walk inside and that’s what we’ve tried to create at Hazel Bank. Andrew and I are both from Aberdeen but we moved to London for a few years before moving back up.

We both really like traditional houses with their high ceilings and big rooms so we fell in love with Hazel Bank when we first saw it and we bought it in 2016. It had been done up to decent standard already so it meant we could just put our own stamp on it.

The home's front lounge with a blue carpet, black and blue patterned wallpaper, a large fireplace and two burgundy armless chairs. There is a large bay window, a large bookcase with a ladder and chandelier. — The front lounge is striking with its blue/white velvet wallpaper, feature fireplace, bay window and beautiful bookcase. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

The rear lounge in the quirky Aberdeen home, with grey walls, sofas and fireplace with black accents. The gold ceiling light matches the gold carpet — The rear lounge is a dark and cosy affair with grey and black accents. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

We both collect artwork so a crucial part of decorating for us was deciding where to display it. Andrew loves the Scottish artist Ross Muir so we’ve got some of his work on display. We also have artwork from the Connor Brothers, Chris Bourke, Dave Buonaguidi, the Miaz Brothers, Mark Drew, Ben Allen and Susie Wright.

Quirky Aberdeen home perfect for showcasing art

With a house like Hazel Bank it’s the ideal place to showcase your artwork because there’s so much wall space and we love how art can create different moods in different rooms.

The dining room in the quirky aberdeen home has white and blue walls, black floor tiles, a concrete style table, six dining chairs and a skylight above the table — The dining room has a concrete style table and beading on the walls to showcase the artwork. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

Looking down the staircase in the house. — The hallway is the perfect place for hanging art. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

In the dining room we specifically designed that room to showcase some of our art, so the bottom half of the walls have been painted in a navy blue colour – Dulux’s sapphire salute – while the top half of the wall is white with beading where we’ve hung the art. The open staircase which extends up three floors also has artwork.

Through in the front lounge we’ve created a bar come formal living space. This room already had a striking navy/white velvet wallpaper which we’ve kept. The bookcase which almost takes up a whole wall is like a piece of art itself. I’ve got so many beautiful books on architecture and art so it’s great to have them on show.

At the bay window, there’s an antique desk which adds a nice touch to the room. We love digging around in antique shops.

The kitchen in the quirky aberdeen home, with grey walls, counters and flooring. There are pink accents throughout the room — The streamlined kitchen is ultra modern with grey and pink tones. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

The game room in the loft — It’s game on in the loft space which could also be transformed into a bedroom. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

Unlike the front lounge which is bright, the rear living room is darker and cosier with grey walls and a black ceiling. The open plan kitchen/diner is an extension which was already there when we moved in. It’s an ultra-modern, streamlined space with greys and a pink tone to the splashback.

One of the main reasons we bought the house though was for the separate office space. The previous owner had a hairdressing premises in the back garden as a separate outbuilding so we turned that into an office. We used really deep green colours in the office as we wanted it to be a completely different space from the house. For my desk we just used kitchen worktops from a local company and made it ourselves.

The master bedroom, with a double bed and wall-mounted TV — The master bedroom leads into the walk-in wardrobe and ensuite. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

The walk-in wardrobe in the quirky aberdeen home with white cabinets and shelves and a crystal chandelier — The walk-in wardrobe and shoe cupboard is every fashionistas dream. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

Upstairs there’s a master bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe and shoe cupboard plus an ensuite with a freestanding bath and an old-fashioned toilet with a pull chain.

Outside, the back garden is a sun trap and is so private. We’ve also laid artificial grass there which works really well.

Property advice

My advice for anyone is not to fear buying or renovating older properties. We’ve tried to keep as many of the original features in the house. Many original fittings, furniture, features can be found in local antique/salvage yards and can be used in renovations, integrated with modern touches and can add to the traditional feel of a property.

The main reason we’re selling is that we’ve had another baby and both of our families stay in Buckie so we’ve decided to move closer to family for more help.”

The home office with a large window, dark wooden floors, white walls and a white desk spanning the wall. The section of the wall and ceiling behind the around the desk is painted a shade of green. There's a white self along the wall above the desk — The separate home office is sleek and stylish. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

The garden of the home — The back garden is very private and has artificial grass for easy maintenance. Image: Grant Smith Law Practice

Hazel Bank, 125 Wellington Road, Aberdeen, is on the market for offers over £320,000. To arrange a viewing phone 01224 621620 or check out the website aspc.co.uk/

If you would like your home to feature, email features@eveningexpress.co.uk