From a feature wall in deepest blue to the pros and cons of velvet sofas, Society has always loved interiors.
Lockdown has caused many of us to see our home in a different light, for better or worse.
The cupboard that never shut properly or the kitchen that’s a tight squeeze, some of our readers have taken action in a bid to create beautiful yet functional spaces.
A quick scroll on Instagram shows that dozens of new homeowners have ripped up the rule book, having fallen in love with properties which need considerable work.
From learning how to plaster, to YouTube videos on wallpapering and sanding original floorboards, could it be possible to create a stunning home without much help?
Even if you’d rather not get your hands dirty, you can still follow home accounts for inspiration.
When 27-year-old Emma Kesson and Matthew Bremner, 29, opted to sell a flat in Rosemount, they had no idea that hundreds of people would be coming along for the journey.
Their Instagram account, renovating_Kimberley, now has more than 2,000 followers after Emma and Matthew decided to buy a property in need of some serious TLC.
From discovering fireplaces to changing their layout, they have documented the highs and the lows.
“We had never done anything to this extent,” said Emma, who is a nurse, while Matthew works for Siemens Subsea.
“We were living in a flat in Rosemount, and we decided to put it on the market in-between lockdowns.
“It sold within a week and we were left trying to find somewhere to live.”
The couple had already driven past their new pad on Raeden Avenue, but had no idea it would become their home.
“We had actually said no because it was facing the wrong way, it is east facing,” said Emma.
“But we needed to find somewhere, so we decided to go along for a viewing.”
The property had not been short of potential new owners, with 150 viewers crossing the threshold.
It was clearly waiting for just the right people to come along though.
“The place was very dated, it was like going back into the Seventies,” said Emma.
“It had sat empty for two years, but we could tell it had so much potential.
“The previous owner had lived there for 47 years, and it was built in 1934.”
Even putting an offer in was not straight forward, after the property went to closing date.
“There were five offers in the end, and we weren’t the highest,” said Emma.
“But we did have the cash waiting, and I think that swayed things.”
The pair had been due to go travelling, before Covid disrupted their plans.
They still put the time to good use however, after each taking a month off work to plough on with the renovations.
Their gorgeous home is now unrecognisable from its previous state, with beautiful floorboards revealed alongside Victorian fireplaces and a new layout.
“It was quite weird moving in, we didn’t know where to start,” said Emma.
“Straight away we were ripping down wallpaper and pulling up carpets.
“We had pre-planned everything, right down to the colours, before we even moved in.
“There was originally two living rooms, a dining room and a kitchen.
“The dining room is now the kitchen, and where the kitchen was is a utility room.
We ripped out the kitchen ourselves to save money, we’ve just learned things from watching videos.”
The race is on to get ready for summer, and the garden is now undergoing a transformation.
“We’ve ripped up loads of old shrubs in the front garden especially,” said Emma.
“Decking will be going down in the next few weeks, and we’ve also got plans for a patio and a hot tub.
“We keep changing our mind as to whether this is our forever home, or we’ll sell up to make a profit.
“It’s our first home together and it has actually been lovely to choose everything.
“I think there’s so much more character to houses like this as opposed to a new build.
Renovation is the in thing to do, there’s so many young couples on Instagram who have taken on similar projects in Aberdeen.”
Emma and Matthew are now looking forward to welcoming family and friends once restrictions ease, but have used social media to keep everyone up to date.
“Our Instagram account has allowed us to look back on the journey, plus it means we can keep everyone in the loop,” said Emma.
“We’re hoping it won’t be too much longer before we’ve completed all the work, and we can’t wait to have people round this summer when restrictions ease.”
You can follow Emma and Matthew at renovating_Kimberley
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
