Innholdsfortegnelse for March-April 2025 (159) i Homes & Interiors Scotland

Familiarity is comforting. It's what deputy editor Natasha Radmehr experienced as she sampled the tasting menu at Aizle (page 243), each mouthful transporting her back to childhood. Familiarity is what we witness at McLean Quinlan's masterful contemporary interpretation of a barn (page 122), as the architects’ references to the Arts & Crafts movement inspire a connection between old and new. This house welcomes its owners, shows them something they might recognise, and offers them the opportunity to feel, well, at home. This sort of nostalgia has the power to take us to places we feel attached to; that's why, when I see my kids choosing the same trainers I had the first time round in the ‘90s (now styled ‘vintage’), I feel a warm pang of happiness. It's why Natasha…

In the 1990s, when most kids were shaking tubes of glitter over Pritt-Sticked drawings in the manner of Art Attack‘s Neil Buchanan, Tom Fraser was moving in a more sophisticated creative realm. “My brother and I were always in Dad's workshop, making things from wood: boxes, coffee tables, small cabinets,” he recalls. “And when my parents bought a derelict gite in France, we would go there for a month each summer, bring a friend each and do the construction work to restore it. That's the kind of practical stuff I loved doing. To me it felt perfectly normal.” Understandably so. In 1985, two years before Tom was born, his parents had founded the Chippendale International School of Furniture, the first and only school in Scotland dedicated to teaching the craft…

MAIRI HELENA WHEN YOU'RE BORN TO a couple of textile designers, it's probably no surprise when you too pursue a career in that world. But Mairi's creations are inspired not just by her parents but by the beautifully varied landscapes of Scotland. The woman behind the Mairi Helena label makes wallpaper and upholstery fabrics and shows them in her Edinburgh studio. “It's set up as if it's a living room, bedroom, kitchen and cloakroom,” she says. “The idea is to show my designs in situ in a living environment.” Customers can book an appointment (via the website) to come to the Broughton Street studio and explore the colours and textures and see how the patterns work together. Rather than simply leafing through a book of samples, you'll see the wallpaper…

Give us a hand WITH DELIGHT, I SEE THAT MY EDITOR HAS labelled my pick for this issue as “so creepy”. I see her point, though I can't help but harbour a soft spot for this handsy piece. It's called the Touch Me chair and comes from the mind of American artist and designer Chris Wolston. The wicker hands bring to mind a visit to the Wat Rong Khun temple in Chiang Rai – accessed only by crossing a bridge that cuts across a sea of pretty sinister outstretched hands. They're supposedly representative of lost souls reaching up from the depths of hell (I hope I'm selling it, the temple is fascinating). Unlike the macabre desperation felt in those upturned arms, Wolston's piece, to me, is all about the pleasure…

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Life as a toddler or a pre-teen can feel overwhelming at times. With that in mind, it's important your wee one's room gives them a sense of safety. Never underestimate the joy of a hidey-hole, for instance. That might manifest as a simple pair of curtains around their bed or a teepee large enough to curl up in, but it should provide sanctuary: a place to retreat to when the world is confusing or frustrating. Keep play at the forefront – toys can double as decor, and interactive elements are always a good idea. Children's bedrooms are also good places for practising self-reliance. Sounds obvious, but it's worth paying close attention to how your little one interacts with their surroundings – make sure they can…

DINNER IS SERVED A dedicated dining room is one of those lucky spaces that can be decorated almost anyway you like. Trad round tables are hot at the minute, as are those with more modern abstract curves, both paired with wooden chairs in every shade of timber. Wallpaper is back in a big way too, especially subtle stripes or textured designs. No dining room? No worries: casual seating is on the rise think banquettes or benches, squeezed into a corner of the kitchen. Add cushions to bring it to life; mint and sage are fading into the background as their jazzier cousin lime takes over. And, of course, lighting is everything. Don't dish up dinner under task lighting – the glow from candles and table lamps will make everything taste…

HOT DOG This sweet sausage dog is not just for cuddling – it's a rattle too. It's from whimsical party and lifestyle brand Meri Meri and will delight little ones. The pooch has a friendly embroidered smile and comes wearing its own striped jumper for extra cosiness. Everything is crafted from knitted organic cotton: easily washed and reliably durable. £21.50. merimeri.co.uk Meet cute Baboushkini brings together gorgeous childrenswear brands from around Europe – think trad pyjama sets, smart Austrian jackets and organic knits. It has also collaborated with artist Francesca Salvalaggio on a series of framed prints to brighten up a creative bedroom or playroom, available individually or as a set of three. From £204. baboushkini.com LET ME TELL YOU A STORY The Storybook Papers collection from Little Greene is…

SMOOTH MOVES TAKE A PEEK POUR ONE OUT…

Spring has sprung Lambs skipping, daffodils sprouting, Easter eggs to hunt… it all sounds very wholesome, doesn't it? You can expect lots of that kind of fun this April at Guardswell's Easter Weekend Retreat. The farm, in a lovely stretch of countryside between Perth and Dundee, is hosting an off-grid staycation with a difference. The itinerary includes family film nights, yoga, farm tours and sustainable meals sourced from the farm itself. “When we were kids, the Easter holidays meant life emerging on the farm,” says owner Anna Lamotte. “It was a really special time and we want to recreate those memories and share that Easter excitement with our guests.” Sign us up. Prices for the Easter Family Retreat start from £141. Book at guardswell.co.uk TASTEMAKER HARRIS McNEILL The Dundee dining…

£5,760 Making memories WE'RE USED TO WILD DESIGN STATEMENTS on this page – stuff that, every now and then, merits its crazy price tag. This, though, at first glance at least, is simply a pinboard covered in postcards and ephemera. What's so special about that? Get up closer, though, and you realise what you're looking is not paper, but thread. Designed and made by Laura Lees (and available via Bard in Leith), this piece is called A Tale of Three Cities and is the embroidery artist's ode to the places that have had a impact on her life and work. Dundee, London and her hometown of Edinburgh are painstakingly recreated as appliqués atop a pinboard that is itself an embroidered trompe-l'oeil. Each postcard is crafted using freehand machine embroidery, and…

Edinburgh-based architecture practice Gras has been responsible for some of Scotland's most understated, simple yet striking building restorations of the last few decades, many of which you'll have seen across the pages of this magazine. Kinloch Lodge in Sutherland, Lamb's House in Edinburgh, Killiehuntly Bothy in the Cairngorms; they all share the same thoughtful diligence when it comes to preserving architectural heritage, but with the kind of cool eye that director Gunnar Groves-Raines’ practice has become synonymous with. Now, he has turned his gaze to objects. The Gathering Hand, Gras's collection of furniture and objects, first came to light at the London Design Festival and is now available to buy online. You can invest in a piece that has been created with noted artisans, with quality and provenance at the…

LIGHT AND BREEZY…

Everyone grapples to some extent with the space that separates the person they are from the person they aspire to be. Nowhere is the gap – more of a chasm, really – felt more keenly than in my wardrobe. The person I want to be arranges her dresses by colour and can origami a T-shirt into a neat square in a nanosecond. The person I am bought a new clothes rail last week after the previous one buckled beneath the weight of too many haphazardly hung, and flung, clothes. Oops. It's not just the rail. I also have an overstuffed chest of drawers, a wardrobe that doesn't fully close, and several vacuum bags of old clothes lurking beneath my bed. Overconsumption isn't the issue, although it certainly was when I…

PUT YOUR FEET UP Like it or not, were probably spending too much time indoors. Yes, we're all for bagging a munro on the weekend, but those chilly, not-yet-spring evenings? They should be spent in your stocking feet, something good on the TV and a cup of warmth within reach. That being said, shapeless bed-like sofas are out and more sculptural pieces are in. They can still be big, but they're best when colourful or covered in unusual fabric. Scots apparently watch the most TV in the UK, but our beloved sets are increasingly hidden behind artworks, or becoming pieces of art themselves (we predict a rival for Samsung's Frame model soon). Instead, shelves of books and curios are bagging the prime spot, with bespoke carpentry showing off personal collections.…

COOK UP A STORM Cookie-cutter kitchens are out and bespoke designs are in – great news if your funds can stretch to it, as a layout created from scratch just for you will give you everything you could want. But if the budget says no, there are ways to work with what you have. First, figure out how you use your kitchen and how much needs to fit into it. That novelty waffle maker is cute, but is it essential? Once you've got an accurate understanding of your needs, it'll be easier to create your dream space. If you're a natural host who loves to whip up a feast for your pals, make sure every work surface is optimised. Move small appliances into the pantry and ensure there are enough…

GET THE GLOW Award-winning designer Matthew Williamson is behind this incredible room set, created for C. P. Hart's flagship showroom in London. The warm palette (inspired by Mallorcan sunsets) is proof if ever you needed it that bathrooms need not be clinical white spaces. Texture comes through the vintage Murano glass lights, the fluted Galiano vanity unit and the multicoloured terrazzo tiles. It's a triumph. cphart.co.uk CONCRETE PROPOSAL We're besotted with the new Orme pedestal basins from Kast. For a start, the playful design is highly customisable (change the colours, choose a ribbed or smooth base, axe the shelf). It can also fit in a tight spot: at just 400mm wide, it would be a great choice for a petite but funky cloakroom or en-suite. £POA. kastconcretebasins.com A new classic…

Making an impression Buckle up, art fans: galleries are dusting off the cobwebs and studios are throwing open their doors to welcome the arrival of spring. First up, Edinburgh Printmakers, which is hosting not one but two upcoming exhibitions. The first is Story: Selected Prints from the Edinburgh Printmakers Collection. It'll feature spellbinding work from artists such as Alberta Whittle (left), Toby Paterson (below) and John Byrne (bottom). Additionally, Impressions: Selected Prints from the Jerwood Collection is a fantastic opportunity to view pieces from one of the UK's most significant collections of modern and contemporary art. Yinka Ilori's iris-melting prints will hang alongside the abstract stylings of John Hoyland and a whole variety of other great works. You won't want to miss it. Both opening in April, edinburghprintmakers.co.uk Colour theory…

NATURE'S EMBRACE BOBBIN ALONG EAT YOUR GREENS…

DETAILS What A one-bed flat in a 1930s apartment block Where Nice, France Interior design Wendy Morrison Design For most of their married life, Wendy and Gregor Morrison spent their summers in France. Being on the Côte d'Azur, soaking up the atmosphere of Nice and the surrounding area, visiting local flea markets and antiques dealers, was something they never grew tired of. Their life in Scotland, building their design business and raising their sons, remained a priority, but as the years passed they fell ever more in love with this region, and owning a home here rose to the top of their wish-list. The Morrisons are an enterprising couple. They knew exactly what they wanted – an easy-to-maintain home in a good location, suitable for living in on a part-time…

PLANTING GUIDE This is a purposefully restful space. Young fronds of the fern Dryopteris erythrosora will bring in coppery tones as they come up in the spring. But the palette largely focuses on greens in lots of different textures, plus whites and tiny pops of lilac and pale blue. BRIEF To create a functional but inviting informal garden for a basement flat DESIGN Rachel Bailey Studio DIMENSIONS 27m long x 2.5m wide, increasing to 5m “The architecture of the surrounding buildings informed the garden,” begins Rachel Bailey as she describes a garden in Glasgow's west end that has been utterly transformed under her care. “Like a lot of tenement back yards in the area, people would park their cars at the top end, but the garden itself was just a…

“This is what the best tasting menus do: thread the familiar with the unexpected, shooting for happy surprise rather than bewilderment.” Everyone keeps pronouncing the tasting menu dead. In the past year I've seen critics decry this form of dining as narcissistic, out-of-touch and controlling, as though patrons of such establishments are held captive and forced to eat 50 shades of gruel (or tortillas laser-printed with home truths about themselves, as in the horror film The Menu). As an unwavering fan, I feel like the lone person still wearing skinny jeans and shouting, “But they actually really work for me, man!” while everyone else swans around in ankle-flappers. Some places have bent with the wind and switched to an exclusively a la carte offering, so I'm relieved that Aizle –…

How has your style evolved? As the years go by, despite acquiring more ‘things’, my style is becoming less busy. I'm no minimalist, but maximalism just looks messy whenever I have a go at it. In saying that, our walls are very full. I love buying large (and I mean large) paintings at auction. People assume that bigger equals more expensive, but usually it's the exact opposite; most bidders don't want outsized pieces, so there's generally very little competition. Who is your biggest influence? One of my oldest and dearest friends missed his calling by not becoming an interior designer. His understanding of colour is genuinely incredible and, when it comes to our flat, what he says goes! Who is your design hero? In the antiques world: Christopher Dresser. In…

CHANGING ROOM We often harp on about the difference a lick of paint can make, I but swapping out your lampshades is even easier and can make I a big impact. For example, here Houseof's Stripe pendant shade] complements the bright accessories and textiles in this personalitypacked bedroom. The organic stripes make more sense in this space than a plain white shade and make the room feel complete. £lOO. theroost.com Big stretch Goodness gracious, great balls of… light? This rolypoly stack is called Upward: a sculpture by day and a lamp by night. Each of the nine spheres is expertly crafted from sturdy borosilicate glass, with a central strip of LED hidden within. It's 178cm tall and is controlled by touching the very top sphere. This floor version caught our…

Handle with care SOMETHING CHIC COMING OUT OF PARIS? Colour me utterly flabbergasted. But to suggest that Atelier Constant's appeal is solely due to its French roots would be a disservice. At the helm of the studio is Xavier Dehaye, a fiercely creative maker who honed his craft by working and studying in Japan and the Netherlands, and immersing himself in mid-century design. Everything in the Atelier Constant collection bears his mark A sculptural lamp, cast in bronze, produces captivating light patterns wherever it's placed; an oversized slab of elm wood doubles as a room divider; elsewhere, the same wood is lightened and supported on four chunky legs to create an intriguing coffee table. Highlighted here, though, is the Coupe Papillon: a silver-plated vessel with a butterfly perpetually balanced on…

Sense of style gone AWOL? A personal stylist can help you rediscover it and curate a wardrobe you love. Alexandra Fullerton, a former glossy-mag fashion director, offers one-to-one sessions in person or on Zoom. alexandrafullerton.com It can be difficult to let go of designer items, even when you rarely wear them. So why not hire them out so they're at least generating a bit of cash? Platforms such as Hurr allow customers to rent out clothes and accessories. hurrcollective.com Cher Horowitz's virtual wardrobe in Clueless felt impossibly futuristic in the ‘90s but is now a reality thanks to Whering. Upload images of your clothes to the app to plan outfits and track what you actually wear. whering.co.uk…

THE REST IS UP TO YOU Successful bedrooms are all about the surfaces, so consider your walls, ceiling and floor. Wallpapers that are packed with personality or have a textured effect, like plaster, are popular just now. If you're leaning towards the latter, do as the designers on these pages have done and take it up onto the ceiling. It's a nod to the colourdrenching trend that's keeping stark white surfaces at bay. As for the floor, think about what you want to step onto first thing in the morning. Durable jute might just scare your toes back under the duvet. Soften it with a deep-pile rug on top. Your bed is the final surface. There's a reason your parents nagged you to make the bed – it makes the…

WORK FROM HOME As we reach the midpoint of the decade, there's an opportunity to take stock. A shift in your approach to work or a complete career overhaul might be on the agenda. Either way, your home office should be a restful space. It's no longer all about the hustle; rather, wellness, is the name of the game. It's time to prioritise natural light, good storage, big desks and comfortable chairs. Alongside those considerations, make sure your working environment reflects who you are and what you want. Plain, utilitarian decor can be utterly uninspiring, so don't shy away from bold pattern if you're all about making waves in the business world.…

1 Chic Dogs You might think only sleek, glossy cats would merit being described as ‘chic’ but it seems dogs – even the scruffiest mutts – have stolen that crown from the moggies. Dogs are the literal top dogs now, as the latest lavish tome by Assouline confirms. It's a quirky collection of pooch pictures from the French luxury publisher that celebrates our love affair with canines of all shapes and sizes. Some of the world's most glamorous names – Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Frida Kahlo, Brigitte Bardot and many more – are here, showing off their own chic dogs. The collection is accompanied by anecdotes and fun tales that confirm just how much we adore our most loyal companions. £lOO, Assouline 2 Dopamine Home Dopamine, in case you need…

DETAILS What A newly built four-bedroom home Where Archerfield Architect Brown & Brown Main contractor Prime Property Ventures Structural engineer Design Engineering Workshop Most people keep their favourite tipple in a cupboard, a bottle rack or, if they're a proper connoisseur, a swanky, high-end wine cooler. So, you know you've made it when you have an entire room designed and built specifically to house your collection of fine whiskies. Step forward Jason Aird and Gerry Williams, whose home, Cairn House at Archerfield in East Lothian, features just such a space, as well as many other gems. Designed by Brown & Brown architects, it was described by one of the couple's friends as “a work of art”. That's not to say it's showy – quite the opposite, in fact. The intention…

Since studying Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone, I developed an interest in how painting may be viewed through a gendered lens. Around two thirds of undergraduate art students in the UK are women, yet most of the art we see in galleries was made by men. Historically, women faced significant barriers to entering the art world, including exclusion from life drawing classes. As a result, some media, such as textiles, are viewed as feminine, while painting appears to be considered a masculine medium. Co-sleeping is a significant painting for me because, at the time, I considered it something of a guilty pleasure. The reason I felt this way is because I had been warned in the past against painting children or animals, as these subjects can be viewed sentimentally.…

LOUNGE AROUND TEA TIME CUSHY NUMBER…

Blue skies This season is all about the spruce. It's time to whip your garden into shape and tackle those overgrown hedges and sad borders. If you can't bring yourself to start with the plants, grab a paintbrush instead. A lick of Little Greene's Celestial Blue is a lifeline for tired cladding. £42.50 for 1 litre of Intelligent Exterior Eggshell. littlegreene.com Swede dream If simplicity is a key component of timelessness, Sweden's Artur Lindqvist knew what he was doing. Pictured here is his Table 9 A, with a solid wood top (oiled oak, white lacquered oak or teak) and a collapsible galvanised steel base. It looks like it could have been conceived yesterday – but he actually designed it all the way back in the 1930s. The rest of his…

LISBON Lisbon has a lot of swanky places to stay but we'd be happy to check into this one, the Hotel Duo Boavista, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Architects Saraiva & Associados have neatly combined Portuguese architecture both old and new in their design, with vaulted ceilings, traditional tiles and plenty of natural light. There's a cool bar, a pastry shop on site and a courtyard filled with greenery. Delicious. hilton.com MALDIVES The Finolhu resort on Baa Atoll in the Maldives is just about as dreamy as a beach holiday gets – just look at those red parasols against the blue sky. The UNESCO-protected site is teeming with marine life, single-use plastic is banned, and guests are invited to try their hand at coral reef maintenance. No pressure,…

I've always loved fashion and styling. It's a big part of who I am. I studied product design at university, which helped me develop my creative side, and at the same time I worked as a visual merchandiser at Topshop. That job was an amazing school for learning how to create eye-catching displays and really understand what resonates with people. Both experiences shaped my passion for design and set me on the path I'm on today. ‘CLdlMH’ means ‘wool’ in Gaelic (and is pronounced ‘cloy’), and choosing it felt like the perfect way to celebrate my roots and Scotland's incredible heritage in wool spinning and knitting. I also love that the word has such a stylish and modern feel to it – even if you don't know its meaning, it…