Scotland's Home of the Year, a popular BBC property series, crowned Hilltop House - a bright, contemporary home as their 2025 winner. The contestants were judged by interior designers Anna Campbell-Jones and Banjo Beale and architect Danny Campbell, out of the six homes that were shortlisted, Hilltop House won over the judges with it's mid-century and Californian cool style.
Originally a stone farmstead, owners Jessica Zanoni and Chris Labrooy worked with the design team at Rachael Walker architects to bring their ideas to life, with a main focus on being able to retain the buildings heritage features such as the original arched cart opening. With the home being located in Pitmedden, Aberdeenshire and sitting at a elevated position, choosing the right suppliers and materials was important to ensure the home would be protected from the elements and the harsh Scottish winters, this is why NorDan was chosen to provide the windows and doors for Hilltop house.
NorDan has worked with Rachael Walker Architects over multiple previous projects, the team there knew that NorDan was a reliable choice. With our windows being designed to withstand Norwegian climates, our windows offered a clear performance crossover with the challenges that Hilltop house may face.
Ensuring the home was efficiently insulated was a priority to Hilltop House due to the historic original structure. To maximise air-tightness, NorDan's Timber Alu-Clad Fixed Light units were installed strategically across the home to help maintain a comfortable and consistent indoor temperature. In addition, three of NorDan's flagship Tilt and Turn Stormguard windows were installed, with the ability to endure the toughest conditions, the Stormguard provides an average U-value of 1.2 w/m²K offering complete assurance on performance.
Not only did NorDan's windows contribute to Hilltop House's energy efficiency and safety, they also contributed towards the homes usability. By choosing tilt and turn units, the windows doubled as a way to access the garden.
To the owners Jessica and Chris "part of the appeal was knowing we could fit and forget", with NorDan's industry-leading 30-year warranty and a life expectancy of over 60 years they had peace of mind knowing their windows would continue to be as good as new for decades to come, without the worry of frequent replacements.
Alongside the windows installed, Hilltop house had double glazed 2-leaf sliding doors added. This addition allows the family to enjoy the Scottish scenery that surrounds them and move seamlessly between outdoor and indoor living spaces.
Aesthetics played an important role within Hilltop house to achieve the contemporary style they now have. By choosing NorDan, a customer has many options when customising their windows and doors without compromising on quality. Rachael Walker commented: “The slim aluminium-clad frames gave us the clean lines we wanted and the durability we needed. We also made a few subtle adjustments, like over-cladding some frames so they blended better with the surrounding materials. Those small details made the overall aesthetic smoother and more cohesive. Every detail had to support that vision of uniting old and new.”
With the windows being finished in Jet Black, there felt a need for a standout detail. The Homeguard Door in Bright Pink was the perfect addition, it creates a bold pop of colour which complements the homes otherwise neutral palette whilst bringing a playful energy.
