The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Amazing home boasts hot tub, sea views and a conservatory
If walls could talk, Cove Farm would tell a heartwarming story of love, laughter and happy memories.
Full of pizzazz and personality, the charming former farmhouse in Cove Road has been home to Zoe Ogilvie, founding director of BIG Partnership and an Aberdeen Football Club board member; her husband Bill, who works part-time for Arbroath Football Club, and their daughter Francesca, who plays for Aberdeen FC Women.
Over the past 20 years, the football-mad family have loved everything about their wonderful home – especially the superb sea views, their quirky home bar and their sun-soaked conservatory.
But as their daughter Francesca has flown the nest, the time has come for the couple to downsize.
“What we’ve enjoyed most about living here is the space, privacy and the fact it’s been a house filled with family and friends from day one,” says Zoe.
“Being close to the sea, but very near town, is hugely appealing – people perceive Cove as being outside of town but it only takes 10 minutes to get to Union Square, 15 minutes for me to get to work in the morning and two minutes to get on the AWPR.”
It was the space both inside and outside the property that first attracted Zoe and Bill to the home.
“We were moving from a farmhouse in Wartle, with more than seven acres of land, to be closer to town, and we were keen to find a similar-style property with lots of space outdoors for our dogs, cars, speedboat and other outdoor gear,” explained Zoe.
“We looked at several steading conversions but they simply didn’t have the space we needed within our budget at the time.
“We’d never considered Cove and, indeed, probably wouldn’t have if we hadn’t seen this property.
“It needs to be viewed to fully appreciate the space indoors and outdoors.”
Dating back to around 1904, the property has a fascinating history.
“It’s about 120 years old, and although originally a typical north-east two-up two-down style farmhouse, it’s been sympathetically added to over the years and now incorporates what was a steading or out-buildings as part of the house.
“This makes for some amazing old features such as the traditional farmhouse kitchen stove/ fireplace and the quirky layout of the rooms which flow into each other.”
Traditional yet contemporary, Cove Farm is positively brimming with character and opens up with a front porch with amazing sea views.
The wonderful views continue in the open-plan lounge/dining room where there is a wood-burning stove set into a striking tiled fireplace.
And with its own bar/ games room, complete with a bar counter and optics, the property is the perfect place to host parties.
“The pitch-pine bar complete with optics, cooler and an old bell to ring for last orders was a real selling point,” says Zoe.
“We’ve hosted too many parties to mention – from our daughter’s third birthday party to a Boxing Day party with 100 people and a live band.
“We’ve also hosted many BIG Partnership barbecues and Aberdeen FC Women end of season parties as well as Christmas days with as many as 16 eating and sleeping comfortably.”
Also perfect for hosting parties is the open-plan sun lounge/dining room where double French doors lead out to the garden.
For those who love to cook, the stylish kitchen will not disappoint as it has a Rangemaster cooker, two integrated fridges and a dishwasher, plus a plethora of storage units. Also on the ground floor are two double bedrooms, a hallway and vestibule.
Upstairs, there’s a master bedroom, guest bedroom, both with en suites, plus a double bedroom and two interconnecting rooms which are currently used as home offices.
Outside, al fresco dining can be savoured in the large lawn garden where there is a firepit, a decked area with hot tub, a patio/ parking area, a double garage and further parking.
Although sad to be leaving, Zoe and Bill are happy in the knowledge that it will make another family happy.
“I think the property would suit a large or growing family with pets who love to entertain and need lots of outdoor space,” says Zoe.
“The patio is totally enclosed and private, and we’ve put a hot tub in a raised, decking area.
“The front garden is enclosed and safe for dogs and children.”
For Zoe and Bill, they’ll miss their conservatory, the bar and the sea views the most.
“There are so many lovely, quirky facets to the house, but I think the large conservatory and the bar are key features,” says Zoe.