A stunning panoramic sea view greets all those lucky enough to visit Lesley and Brian Duff ’s luxurious open plan coastal apartment in a pretty North East coastal town. But don’t be fooled by Lesley’s description of ‘just living in a wee flat above the chip shop in Stonehaven.’ This is the glamorous home of a couple enjoying a new phase in their life now that their grown up children have flown the family nest and settled in Australia.

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The two-bedroomed flat is adorned in sumptuous fabrics and sparkling chandeliers, a mix of classical French Renaissance style but with a modern twist, the result of Lesley’s love for interior design. ‘I would just say it’s grown up’, she says of the fresh, pale grey interior which exudes a subtle air of calm. ‘I like a bit of glitz and glamour, but I’m struggling to be posh’, she hoots with raucous laughter. Lesley’s an award winning local business- woman who runs the highly successful Aunty Betty’s ice cream and sweetie shop in the town.

Her dynamic energy and enthusiasm ensures that nothing’s done in half measures. She believes her ice cream, made by Moira and Douglas Simpson from Buckie, is the best in Britain. I don’t think the hordes who queue along the promenade for what one of her friends describes as ‘edible works of art’ would disagree. Lesley and Brian were looking to downsize from their nearby family home three years ago and had recently sold a bustling café in the town. ‘The flat’s particularly ugly from the outside’, explains Lesley, but they were both stunned by the wonderful sea views. ‘It was the view which captivated us straight way, it held everything for us’, she explains. When they viewed the 1970s flat for the first time, they were hit by the retro décor, including an orange and brown kitchen, and brown shag pile carpet. But Lesley’s enthusiasm for design made reinventing the flat an easier challenge and they set about gutting the interior.

Walls were knocked down, rooms rearranged, office space and dressing rooms were created along with a large master bedroom. What was once the kitchen is now a glamorous bathroom, simple and elegant with fresh white towels and a television. ‘When you’re putting your make-up on in the morning you can be updated on all the news, and at night when you’re getting ready to go to a party you can still watch Britain’s got Talent’, she laughs. ‘I did the whole flat in grey because it matches the outside’, she explains, looking out towards the North Sea. ‘Can you see that?’ she asks. It takes me a second to get the joke and Lesley laughs uproariously when the penny drops. Lesley painted the furniture a tone warmer in Farrow and Ball’s Elephant’s Breath: ‘a lovely name’. Not even a marbled top table, the chandeliers or the finest antique pieces escaped a coat of paint.

The overall effect is a pale and interesting interior with a certain shabby chic feel. ‘I absolutely love it. When you do something really well it’s unremarkable, and that’s what makes it a pleasure for me’, she explains. Lesley makes no apologies for adorning her flat and shop front with vases of artificial flowers, which people think ‘are lovely all the two children, Andrew and Angela. portraits capturing her vitality by two local artists take pride of place along the other wall, while other pieces of art such as brightly coloured papier mâché cats, and a modern installation of little, nesting ceramic birds show more of Lesley’s personal expression.

This is the first flat the couple has lived in for 28 years and everything is strategically organized and thought out with immaculate attention to detail. ‘My husband’s clothes are next door to the bathroom and the kitchen is next door to the dressing room, so you can put on your coffee, get your clothes out, go to the shower and you’re just dotting backwards and forwards in that small amount of space, but I’m still private in bed having my coffee!’ she laughs wickedly. It’s easy to see why the pair adore living in Stonehaven’s relaxed atmosphere: ‘In the front we have the sea and the twinkly lights of the harbour, and the back of the property makes me laugh because we have the caravans, so we are permanently on holiday. It’s divine!’

Lesley enjoys life to the full and is clearly too busy to take her interior or herself too seriously. Her home reflects her sense of fun and witty mix of old and new, stylish and kitsch. Wardrobes are stuffed with glamorous dresses, glitzy shoes and hair extensions now that she and Brain are addicted to ballroom dancing. The phone’s been ringing all morning, this time a television crew want to do an interview – and suddenly she’s off to be in front of the camera. ‘Even though you’re above a chip shop, it’s still lovely isn’t it?’ she bellows on her way down the stairs.