Big on ‘wow’ factor

Having a house large enough to host a big party is one thing. Owning one large enough to accommodate a full-scale wedding is quite another. Susan Welsh meets the owners of a stunning Aberdeenshire home that could give hotels a run for their money

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Rhona Wight and Denis Emslie enjoying the sunshine in their lovely garden. Raymond Besant

HOUSE-HUNTING should be a joyful experience, something that sets the heart beating just that little bit faster.

But as anyone who has felt the crushing disappointment of viewing a house that hasn’t lived up to their expectations will tell you, that’s not always the case.

That was the situation Denis Emslie and Rhona Wight found themselves in 10 years ago when they began searching for a house in Aberdeenshire.

“We went to view a lot of the new houses that were being built in the area but always came away disappointed became we felt the rooms were either too small inside or that the houses were built too close to each other,” said Denis, who is sales director with Mackie’s of Scotland.

“We could literally have jumped for joy when we viewed this house in Daviot as it had everything we were looking for – a well thought-out lay-out, spacious rooms, lovely views across the countryside and lots of space between the houses.

“It also had loads of what you’d call the ‘wow’ factor. We learned that the house had been built by the owner of a housebuilding company who had it built for himself, so as you would expect, it had been finished to an extremely high standard throughout.

“The design is such that, in all the years we’ve lived here, we have never felt the need to change anything other than the decor,” added Denis, who has a son, daughter and two grandchildren – two-year-old Finlay and new arrival Chloe, who is just a few weeks old.

The detached house, which sits in the quiet hamlet of Daviot, near Inverurie, certainly packs a punch.

With its fabulous landscaped gardens, split-level style and enormous rooms, it looks like the sort of glamorous upmarket home seen on American TV shows.

From the lower car park at the front of the house, curving steps lead to an entrance vestibule which I’m reliably informed, is bathed in morning sunshine.

This leads to a cloakroom and the hallway, which has beautiful dark woodwork. From here, there is access to the dining kitchen, dining-room, lounge, family room, master bedroom and family bathroom. There are three more bedrooms on this floor, while bedrooms five and six, a sauna and shower-room are upstairs.

For those who like having guests to stay, this house is ideal as the large rooms are great for entertaining. The lounge is a lovely big room with two sets of patio doors which take full advantage of the sweeping, panoramic views towards Bennachie.

For formal dinner parties, the dining-room is ideal as it can accommodate a 12ft table, while the family room, which also has double patio doors overlooking the garden and fish-filled pond, is a great place to chill-out.

The dining kitchen is a nice bright room with an abundance of high and low-level oak units, including an illuminated display unit, all nicely teamed with complementary worktops. The kitchen has an extra large induction hob, cooker hood, double oven, fridge and dishwasher, all of which are included in the asking price.

A handy utility room houses the washing machine, tumble drier, a large walk-in larder and further storage space.

“That’s one of the things about this house that you don’t get in new houses – tons of storage space,” said Denis.

“There are big cupboards everywhere, which can be a good and bad thing. I had a clear-out recently and found four sets of golf clubs which I’d forgotten about,” confessed Denis.

With six luxurious bedrooms, one of which is currently used as a study, there’s always plenty room for guests to stay over. But it’s the master bedroom which everyone has their eye on.

It overlooks the lower patio area and has lawns and fields to the side, so it’s nice and private. Inside, there are wall-to-wall mirrored-door wardrobes and a very smart en-suite shower-room.

Another must-visit room in the house is the luxury sauna, which is large enough to seat four people.

“Confession time. I don’t use the sauna very much, but everyone else does,” laughed Denis.

“I think one of the reasons people like staying here is because they can have a shot of it.

“At some points, we’ve had several relatives staying with us for lengthy periods, as they have, for example, been between houses.

“It’s a good house for parties, too – we even hosted a wedding here.”

Outside, the gardens are as dramatic as the house and on an equally large scale.

When Denis and Rhona, who is production manager with Mackie’s, first moved in, the garden had five lawns on different levels. They landscaped the gardens and transformed two of the lawns into substantial patio areas surrounded by colourful flowerbeds and shrubs.

For those who like sitting in the sunshine, the garden is ideal as it has several sun traps and a large lower lawn which is as smooth as a cricket field.

“This is where the wedding was held, and it was here that we had a marquee erected for my 60th birthday party,” said Denis.

“My favourite part of the garden, though, is the summer house, and most nights between April and September you’ll find me sitting out there enjoying the spectacular sunsets towards Bennachie.

“There is power and light in the summerhouse, but it’s nice to light a few candles, pour a glass of wine and take in the views.”

The house and gardens sound wonderful but, like all good stories, there’s more.

“There are two double garages, one of which has an inspection pit,” said Denis.

“I just about know where to put petrol in the car, but have found that I’m very popular with my friends, who like to use the pit to have a look at their own cars.”

Despite enjoying a decade of sheer pleasure living in the house, Denis and Rhona have decided the time is right to have a go at building a bungalow.

“We love Daviot and the surrounding area so our new place is close by, less than two miles from here.

“The people are very friendly and welcoming, there is a superb primary school, church and local pub, and it really is a superb place to bring up children.”

Selling agent Raeburn Christie Clark & Wallace is seeking offers over £420,000 for 4 Wellbrae, Daviot, near Inverurie. For further information, call 01467 629300, or log on to www.raeburns.co.uk