Quiney Cottage racked-up perfect scores from the judges who loved its bold colour scheme and quirky design
Quiney Cottage in Banchory, Aberdeen, gained perfect scores from the judges(Image credit: BBC)
Scotland’s Home of the Year search started off with a cottage renovation that featured bold colour choices throughout.
Judges Anna Campbell Jones, Banjo Beale and Danny Campbell visited the North East and Northern Isles where they found Quiney Cottage, in Banchory, Aberdeenshire.
Owner Rachel Doughterty explained how she renovated her historic house, making sure she was sympathetic to the era it was built - the 1860s.
Mint green walls and tartan coverings are used in two of the houses bedrooms(Image credit: BBC)
Ms Doughterty said she "really liked how the mint sat against the granite"(Image credit: BBC)
Her colours are inspired by her job as a handbag designer(Image credit: BBC)
Quiney cottage shows a number of quirky cottage renovation styles and bold colour choices.
Ms Doughterty, a handbag designer, used her profession as inspiration explaining she is "drawn to checks, tartans, stripes and florals".
"When you do a job like mine, you naturally seem to become interested in interiors. I’m always looking in magazines or on Pinterest and Instagram and being inspired by people’s homes. It feels like a natural sidestep to the research that I do daily for my job" she added.
On choosing a mint green colour for the window frame and front door, she said: "That shade was the front runner because I really liked how the mint sat against the granite – I knew that I wanted to have something that wasn’t traditional, like white.
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"And locally, a dark green is traditionally used to decorate doors and windows as it’s the estate colour. So the green I went with is a nod to the cottage’s heritage, but with my own stamp on it."
Wanted layout to be as 'traditional as possible'
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She said she didn't want to change the original layout of the house much(Image credit: BBC)
The main changes in the house occurred in the kitchen where it was split in two(Image credit: BBC)
The renovation of the 1860s cottage began in 2021(Image credit: BBC)
Although drawn to niche styles Ms Doughterty didn't want to change the layout of the home too much from its origins.
She stated: "I really wanted to keep the layout as traditional as possible. The kitchen has now been split in half to be a shower room and utility, kind of like wash kitchen. But overall, I wanted to keep the rooms and the layout as kind to the original as possible."
Her renovation began in 2021 and she began tearing down walls and removing flooring inside the house, whilst continuing to live in the cottage. She finished the renovation in 2022.
Secondhand, sustainable furnishings throughout
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Refurbished furniture and antiques are scattered throughout the house(Image credit: BBC)
Ms Doughterty said using secondhand furnishings add "instant character into your home"(Image credit: BBC)
Ms Doughterty gained the favour of the Scotland Home of the Year judges by using secondhand materials and refurbishing them.
She said: "Sustainability is quite important to me. Not only because it’s more affordable, but also because there’s so many well-built, amazing things that can be given a second home. Plus, it’s another way to add some instant character into your home, using well-made furniture from a different time."
She added she gets inspired by things she finds such as from her local antiques shop where she collects things such as a coffee table, cabinet and vintage wooden chairs.
'Einstein meets Warhol with haggis bonbons thrown in'
Ms Doughterty is now in with a shot of winning Scotland's Home of the Year after scoring a perfect 10 from all three judges.
Judge Danny described the house as “Einstein meets Warhol with haggis bonbons thrown in” as he marvelled at the unique features throughout the property.
The news stunned her as she said she was "a little bit shocked" but said she was glad all her hard work had been appreciated.
"It just makes me look back at everything that I’ve done and kind of stop and think, ‘Yeah, all the hard work was worth it!’."
News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.
