Roy Lyon and wife Julie moved 21 times as they revamped home after home.
A Scots dad has paid is bidding to get national recognition for his late wife – by entering their house into Scotland’s Home of the Year show in a bid to honour her memory. Roy Lyon and tragic wife Julie moved into their former farmhouse in the north-east in 2019 along with their three dogs – Arthur, Audrey and Ruby.
But Julie was diagnosed with multiple tumours and passed away in February 2023. And now Roy has entered their home into the popular BBC show in a tribute to his late partner. The happy couple had renovated more than 20 houses moved regularly across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire before settling in the early Victorian era home.
Their shared love for Art Deco interior design is evident throughout the stunning Richmond House. Encouraged by their daughter to complete the property and then enter SHOTY, fans of the popular show will be able to see the finished home in all its glory, which Roy has decided will be the last one.
Aberdeen Live reports painter and decorator Roy, of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, and Julie moved 21 times through what he described as an obsession to take on new projects and do up homes stretching from Aberdeen to rural villages and towns like Peterhead where he remains now.
Roy said: “We just found houses that nobody else wanted, and we did them up and sold them and moved on until we found this one. This is definitely the last one. It was basically a hobby bordering on addiction or obsession. Once we finished the house, Julie would go online, look at houses for sale, put an offer down quite quickly and we’d move on to the next one.
“It’s been a labour of love, none of it’s been a chore. It’s what I do for a living, and I’d come home, get my supper and get cracking again every night in my own house.” Upon entering the home, it is scattered with a variety in designs and styles, and that all stems back to the couple’s shared love for making sure every room you walk into leaves you blown away.
Roy added: “We’re passionate about Art Deco. We dabbled in antiques a few years ago and it all stemmed from there. We’ve just been buying for years. It was our intention that when you open a door you would be blown away on all different levels. There’s some reasonably subtle rooms and then there’s in your face rooms as well.
“I’ve been here three-and-a-half years, and I did the work and I still get blown away when I open the door. You actually should be blown away every time you walk into a room. The modern decor you see is usually everything’s white with a touch of gloss and a dab of grey, and they’ll be happy with their homes but you walk into one room and it’s just the same as the one they came out of.
“Our intention was to create all different spaces and they’re exciting. We’ve moved house 21 times so we’re old hands at this and it’s a labour of love really.” It’s taken 6,000 hours of decorating to perfect Richmond House, but that’s not something Roy has hated despite the endless nights working away on the property.
“I would go to my bed at 2am, and then get cracking again at half six, go to my work at eight, get home at four and just get cracking again for two years. None of it has been a chore. I’ve enjoyed every second. It could not have turned out any better.” Julie was diagnosed with multiple tumours at the start of 2023 before passing away six weeks later.
But he is now looking forward to viewers being able to see the finished result of their final project together. “Honestly I’m ecstatic about it,” Roy added. “Julie always wanted to go on the show and we did it for her. I didn’t want to at first and got cold feet, but then my daughter Victoria said ‘dad if it helps I’ll do it with you.’
“And it’s just as well she did because it was emotional during the interview and she had to intervene and help out so it was a good job she was there. It’s going to be interesting to see what the judges say about the house, and I’m just so pleased. Julie really wanted to show off her house, including going on the show.
“Everyone’s going to see her house, and that really pleases me. This is not something I would have wanted to do. Julie would’ve entered it and I would be sitting in the background nodding. I’d be taking the back seat but she would have been all over this. So we’ve done it for her.” Julie’s inspiration is all across the house.
Roy would decorate while she would continue to search for the impressive wallpapers seen throughout the property. The vibrant colours and designs came from her love for making every room stand out, with the couple desperate not to have a boring house and create an “in your face and exciting home.”
Even from the outside there is plenty to admire with the granite facade given dashes of colour with bright plants, a neat front garden and its imposing look. “People speak to me as I’m working in the garden and ask about the house. It wasn’t derelict by any means but it was just a boring old farmhouse at one time. Now it’s an exciting family home.
“The farmland is all new houses, and the house eventually had to be sold so builders did the basement as it was all damp but they didn’t decorate it. The rest of the house needed a lot of work and it was on sale for over a year and a half, nobody would take it on. It was so much work. Me being a decorator, that meant nothing, it’s only time.
“There’s absolutely no challenge too big. And when Julie came across it on a walk, she didn’t know it even existed. She came home all excited and says ‘I’ve seen our next house, can we go for it?’ So I went and had a look and we got it, and look how it’s turned out.” There are plenty of visitors in Roy’s family coming to see the new house.
Asked which rooms standout the most, the modern games room has proven to be a big hit. Roy said: “I’ve got nine grandchildren and three daughters and when they come to the house they just love it. They love the games room in the basement, it’s my grandchildren’s favourite. When they stay over they just bring sleeping bags and don’t go to bed. They just love it.”
For the 61-year-old however, it’s the reception room that wins him over every time, boasting yet more Art Deco interiors and a portrait of the couple hanging on the wall. It’s definitely the parlour. The vibe the Art Deco gives out is amazing, and there’s no TV in that room.
“It’s just a nice quiet space and I can look out to my garden as well. I’m passionate about my garden, and it’s just a nice quiet place to sit.” You can watch Scotland’s Home of the Year on Monday, April 28 on BBC One Scotland at 8.30pm and check out Roy’s property, or catch up on the BBC iPlayer.
