Innholdsfortegnelse for May-June 2025 (160) i Homes & Interiors Scotland

There’s a lot to be said for working with what you’ve got. That’s not to say you have to settle for anything less than your dream – your dream dining table, your dream bathroom, your dream home. But putting this magazine together has shown me that, in most circumstances, those things are often right under our noses. There is no requirement to buy new or spend crazy sums in pursuit of crafting the perfect home. Pause, take a closer look at your surroundings, and you might find that all you need is an upgrade or two, a bit of imagination and a gentle zhuzh. That’s what many of the features in this new season’s edition have in common. In Argyll, for example, architecture studio Cameron Webster has created a startlingly…

I am having coffee with Katie and Jordan Laird, but you might know them by their digital aliases, Katie and Joseph Danger. Yes, Danger. People often assume this is the couple’s real surname, rhyming it with clanger and asking if they’re Irish. On my way to their house I even practise saying “dong-jay” in case they happen to be a bit French. But the truth is far more delightful. “When Jordan was in his teens he had a Napster account and gave himself the fake name Joseph Danger so that nobody would know it was him,” laughs Katie, who adopted the moniker as her Instagram handle after she and Jordan got married. “You know when you were a kid and had an email address like ‘ilovedolphins@hotmail.com’? It’s like that, except…

WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH of Scandinavian homewares. There’s such an appetite for it, in fact, that businesses like this one are thriving even in small towns and out-of-the-way places. Haus and Co, a gorgeous shop and cafe in Innerleithen, only opened in 2022 and has already had to move to bigger premises. For owner Gary Smith, it’s proof he made the right choice when he left a 30-year career in the theatre to set up here in the Borders. He used to do interiors projects for friends on the side, and now he’s happy to offer styling advice as well as coffee. “Everything I sell, I would have in my own house,” he says. “In fact, my regulars call the shop Gary’s house.” Most of what’s stocked here is Scandinavian,…

Look at the wall in front of you. I’ll hazard a guess it is painted in one carefully chosen colour that won the battle of the swatches (and the battle of competing tastes, should your household be bustling with Opinions). If you’re a plucky sort, you’ve taken the plunge and gone for wallpaper in a repeating print instead. Perhaps there are framed photos or art to break it up a bit. What else can you do with a wall? A lot, actually. So it is curious that in this era of hyper-personalisation, as we all seek to break away from algorithmic design and unearth new forms of expression in our homes, we continue to limit ourselves when confronted with the ultimate blank canvas. Paint and wallpaper aren’t the only ways…

Compact bathrooms are a great place to inject personality into your home. Creating pattern using tiles can give the impression of more space and create a showstopping scheme. Here, slim rectangular tiles from Decoratori Bassanesi’s Kimono collection create interest on a simple basin. decoratoribassanesi.it Here’s how to do white right: plenty of natural light, archways to add interest and a textured finish on the walls courtesy of Neolith’s WhiteSands surface. Accessories are kept simple, with wood adding a grounding element and white linens pushing the bathroom into spa territory. neolith.com This bathroom, designed by London studio Oakley Moore, is full of charm. A clawfoot tub, unexpectedly finished in mint, pairs beautifully with blush Roman blinds, while an antique chair makes the room feel styled. Framed artwork adds to the softness…

SALT OF THE EARTH The world has the Scots to thank for the term ‘salt pig’ – it comes from ‘pygg’, an old Scots word meaning earthenware vessel. The open front in modern iterations is to give the chef easy access, and they’re usually made from a porous material to draw moisture away and stop the salt from clumping. We like this black version from Habitat with its helpful top handle. £8. habitat.co.uk RIPE AND READY Italian designer Elisa Passino’s collaboration with Bert & May is nothing short of gorgeous. The shapes and shades in the Dulce range are deliciously reminiscent of summer sunsets and the patterns pair in such interesting ways. With colours named Apricot and Rhubarb, it’s no surprise that they’re styled here with plaster-pink walls and orange-toned…

DETAILS What A traditional Georgian family home Where Edinburgh’s New Town Interior design Studio Strachan When Alex Strachan was a little girl, she launched a campaign to have her bedroom decorated in Laura Ashley’s Oriental Garden Eau de Nil wallpaper. It took five years of pestering her parents, but her efforts paid off when they finally succumbed and let her give the room a makeover. “I was forever rearranging the furniture in my bedroom, and I definitely had an appreciation for beautiful rooms,” remarks the interior designer with a laugh. “I think I got my love of antiques from my great-aunt Elizabeth. She still works at Christie’s; we’re very close.” Fast forward to 2022 and there were more negotiations on the table for Alex. She and her husband Mungo and their young…

What kind of picnicker are you? The calm and collected type who checked the weather the day before and already has their snacks packed and ready to go? Or the freewheeler who tumbles through M&S at 2pm only to discover everyone else has beaten you to it and your feast will consist of four falafels and a packet of crab sticks? If the latter sounds familiar and you’re lacking inspiration to be the former, borrow ideas from some of our favourite folk on Scotland’s hospitality scene. “I don’t take anything I have to prep,” admits Laura Wilson, owner of Th e Dundonald in Culross. “So I’ll bring picky bits: crusty bread, boiled eggs, pickles, fi sh pâté…” A makeshift charcuterie board might feature, with Isle of Mull cheese from I.J.…

BUDAPEST At the top of Budapest’s swish Dorothea Hotel is a new dining destination designed by Astet Studio. Bibo restaurant’s captivating interiors – a mirrored corridor, giant suspended flowers and a surrealist wine cellar – are a match for its sensational Spanish-influenced menu. bibobudapest.hu RWANDA If adventure is the name of the game, why not set up camp at One&Only’s resort in Rwanda and get an intimate, unforgettable view of the Volcanoes National Park gorilla sanctuary. From your luxurious treehouse, you’ll be able to enjoy the surrounding rainforest in style and venture out on guided treks to see the local wildlife: golden monkeys, hundreds of rare bird species and, of course, those mountain gorillas. oneandonlyresorts.com AMALFI COAST The five-star Palazzo Avino perches above the bright blue Mediterranean in Ravello on…

BRIGHTER DAYS…

Unless you happen to be a member, a glimpse behind the gates of Skibo Castle is generally off-limits. The former Highland estate of the 19th-century industrialist Andrew Carnegie – once the world’s wealthiest man – has for the past 30 years been home to the Carnegie Club, Scotland’s most exclusive private members’ club, comprising a honeyed sandstone baronial castle set in 8,000 acres of parkland and forests on the outskirts of Dornoch. Its inner workings are a closely guarded secret, its membership list strictly under wraps, and there’s a waiting list to join. We asked nicely if we could venture deep into the woods to meet its newest arrival, the Treehouse at The Carnegie Club, and the club graciously agreed to show us round. Treehouse is obviously an understatement; this…

IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE ME, Holly Hendry will be your new favourite artist. Her work encapsulates the corporeal aspects of the human body in guttural, off-kilter ways, presenting everyday occurrences (like bleary eyes at your desk, or a simple sneeze) all wrapped up in poetry and jesmonite. Shown here is Table Manners II. It’s from her 2024 installation Notes to Self at Frieze New York, a series of intricate sculptures created using casting, glass-blowing and other foundry techniques. The artist describes the installation as “a recomposition of the familiar, mundane image of an office cubicle”, depicting pieces that are part to-do list and part anatomy. They’re delightfully weird. No surprise, really: Hendry has a cropped Carlo Crivelli painting from the 1470s presiding over her studio. You know the one –…

BRIEF To make the bathrooms a continuation of the rest of the house – referencing the local vernacular’s rough plaster and soft colours, while incorporating examples of the ceramics this region is known for LOCATION Southern Portugal DESIGN Andringa Studio In a tiny whitewashed village in the south-east of Portugal is an intriguing new home. Curva House is surrounded by the characterful Alentejo countryside, known for its historical ruins, cork forests and hospitable communities. It’s a peaceful spot for a holiday home, close to the scenic Alqueva Lake, and Curva’s owners saw potential to create something very special here. To do that, though, they needed help, bringing in Lisbon architecture and interior design practice Andringa Studio. The brief was to combine three adjacent little village homes into one large private…

1 A New English Style A few names come up repeatedly when interior experts are asked who their own personal favourite designers are. Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham are among those who are always mentioned, and a look through their debut book, A New English Style, is proof that the accolades are wholly justified. They set up their studio in London in 2013, winning a host of admirers who relish their contemporary take on a trad English country-house aesthetic. Their formative years were shaped by the likes of Nina Campbell and Cindy Leveson, and this volume epitomises just how far they’ve come, presenting an array of projects (some never seen before) that perfectly encapsulates the Salvesen Graham style. £35, Quadrille 2 American Icons Vol 2 There’s a lot to love…

DETAILS What An extended Edwardian terrace Where Edinburgh Architect Pend This modestly magni?cent transformation of an Edwardian mid-terraced house in suburban Edinburgh could be a case study in architectural problem-solving. Take, for example, the challenge of a fully enclosed site to the property’s rear, and a budget that didn’t stretch to hiring a big crane to hoist heavy loads back and forth over the rooftops. There proved to be just one low-cost, and extremely low-tech, answer to shifting all the soil, bricks, machinery and other things required: a builder with a very small wheelbarrow. “We didn’t want to be reckless with the clients’ money,” explains Ben MacFarlane, lead architect on the project for Pend, an up-and-coming practice founded in 2021 and based in the city. “So, that meant everything – all the…

DREAM BIG With an emphasis on ecofriendly natural materials, Soren’s House curates Scandi-inspired furniture for children. This Moss twin bed from Oeuf NYC is ethically and sustainably made in Europe, and features a striking yet simple wave design. It’s stylish – and sure to send your little one swiftly off to the land of nod. £999. sorenshouse.co.uk Better than a budgie Beloved Swedish ceramicist Lisa Larson is better known for her porcelain than her poultry, but these cheerful wooden chirpers may be about to change that. They were actually designed in the late 1960s but have only recently been put into production. They’d be lovely on your bambino’s bookshelf. £80 each. designhousestockholm.com TEA PARTY Donna Wilson is always giving us something to smile about, and her latest ceramics range is…

The East Neuk of Fife is the very definition of picturesque, with golden beaches and rugged cliffs stretching between traditional fishing villages. Elie is one of the prettiest towns on this coastline, and it’s here that a sandstone property has received an update worthy of its beautiful surroundings. Heading up the project was interior designer Tess MacGeachy of Amber Yard Interiors. She is based in London but knows this part of Scotland well, thanks to her own family’s ties to Fife. Her presence on both sides of the border was a decided asset to the owners of the house, as they themselves are based down south in Guildford. “We’ve had a house in Elie for thirty years,” says the owner, who’s originally from Helensburgh. “We bought it before we had…

Hop in the car: who knows how long this weather will last? Sunny days are for pootling around and seeking a change of scenery – ideally somewhere with great food and drink to match the views. First up, to Helensburgh, where the coffee shop Overflow [1] is bucking the trend for minimalism with playful, Wes Anderson-adjacent interiors. The coffee beans are from Danish roaster La Cabra and there are baked goods too. If you fancy a jaunt on the ferry, hop over to Bute, ideally timing your visit to coincide with Bute Yard’s [2] monthly producer market in Rothesay. It takes place on the first Sunday of every month between now and December and you’ll be able to pick up goods from the Isle of Bute Smokehouse, Isle of Bute…

In Denmark, ordinary people have holiday homes. Not just uber-wealthy sorts with year-round tans and whitewashed villas on the Riviera. Normal people with regular jobs and summer houses, or sommerhuse: modest cabins in rural idylls, planted deep in the woods or overlooking a lake. So observed the interior designer Claire Mookerjee when she spent time living and working in Copenhagen. “The Danes would go to their summer houses every year and live very simply for a few months,” she says. “I found it completely beguiling.” Escaping to a remote utopia wasn’t a novel concept to the designer. She and her husband Will live in London and have holidayed on the windswept Ardnamurchan peninsula for many years, sharing a caravan on the beach with friends. The “mad idea” to put down…

How has your style evolved? I’ve never thought I have a style; I know what I like and where I like it. Each project is different. I respond to the site, the climate, the architecture of the house, the view and my clients’ wishes. This is how I evolve. What inspires you? Everything that surrounds me. I’m a very curious person and I like to look at new things happening around me. Growing up in Italy and visiting the Renaissance gardens around Rome certainly influenced my design, but I think my biggest influence, ultimately, is nature. Who is your design hero? Roberto Coelho Cardozo, a professor I had at Thames Polytechnic (now Greenwich University). He explained to me how spaces should be carved out rather than formed, and why the…

LEADING LIGHT The Patera pendant has a decidedly midcentury feel, thanks to its stacked domes (made from alabaster) and central brass fixture. The combination works brilliantly, and would particularly suit a transitional space that brings out its blend of tradition and organic, contemporary beauty. £8,210. imagin.london LUCKY STRIPE Who says rugs have to stay on the floor? The new Everyday Stripe collection from Tate & Darby looks pretty darn good draped over a console table. Shown here in Indigo Rose, the rugs are a collaboration with stylist Sally Denning of Blackshore Style. Each one is handwoven on a traditional Punja loom from a blend of wool and cotton. From £325. tateanddarby.com Simply the zest GET IN LINE It’s all about stripes, baby! We can’t get enough of them here at…

We start and end the day in the bathroom, so it seems only right that it should be a place of sanctuary – functional, of course, but calming and restorative, with wellness at its heart. The concept of wellness is far from a novel one, but ever since the covid era it has become firmly embedded in our lives, and in interior design in particular. Five years on from the first lockdown, spa-inspired spaces remain the leading aesthetic for bathrooms. That means no harsh lighting or stark white tiles, and out with a jumble of products and mismatched towels. In their place you want ambient warmth, clear surfaces and natural materials and colours. If you’re planning a revamp, all sorts of hi-tech appliances will elevate your at-home experience, but there…

DETAILS What A semi-detached Victorian house Where London Architect Bindloss Dawes Interior design Emma Dahlman for Still Life Story Bomb damage doesn’t often appear on the list of ‘Things You Have To Consider When Buying A House’, but for Emma Dahlman and Nick Illston, and their architect George Dawes, it was right up there. Add to that subsidence from tree roots, a crack on the back wall you could fit your hand into, decades of neglect inside and out, and a planning department making things awkward, and most people would have been put off before they even began. But they say love conquers all, and when Emma and Nick fell head over heels for the dilapidated Victorian building at Lordship Park in London’s Stoke Newington, there was no question of them not taking…

OUT OF THIS WORLD Glasgow’s Tramway is the first UK venue to present a new body of work by the acclaimed Brazilian sculptor Solange Pessoa. Drawing on the colonial, agricultural and archaeological histories that have shaped the physicality of both Brazil and Scotland, her large-scale pieces use ceramics, bronze and even Hebridean fleece in their construction – and Tramway’s vast gallery spaces are big enough to do them justice. 10 May to 22 September. tramway.org Taste of summer Nostalgic is perhaps the best word to describe Kate Jenkins’ delectable work for this year’s Brighton Open Houses, an innovative festival where artists show their work in local people’s homes. Jenkins’ latest pieces, a celebration of quintessential seaside holiday fare, look as if they could have been confected in her kitchen, but…

BRIGHT SPARKS Pioneering Danish brand Mater is a leader in the green-tech design world, and now it’s expanding its horizons. Its first lighting collection, Terra, is crafted from Matek, Mater’s revolutionary patented material made from combining waste fibres, such as coffee residue, with a binder made from recycled plastics. Each of these lamps, for example, contains up to 300g of material that might otherwise have ended up as landfill. From £216. davidvillagelighting.co.uk Basket of joy Don’t leave your blankets draped over the sofa – or, worse, in a neglected heap in the corner. Pop them into a gorgeous Rwandan sisal basket like this one instead; each one is handmade, and therefore unique. This is a practical way to bring colour into your home while supporting a traditional craft. £115. sorokalondon.co.uk…

TALKING POINT Once you’ve experienced the flexibility of modular seating, you won’t want to go back. Bonus points all round if it’s as good-looking as the new additions to Carl Hansen’s Embrace Outdoor series. Slinky teak frames covered in hand-woven flat rope, topped with upholstery in deep, earthy colours: yes, please. Seven modules can be combined to give your perfect lounging spot. Here, two chaise modules create a convivial atmosphere. Three-seater from £5,100. carlhansen.com CUTTING EDGE This traditional Japanese blade would make a stylish and superbly useful addition to any gardener’s kit. It’s made from high-carbon steel (easily re-sharpened) and has an engraved brass handle. The Higonokami folding knife is only 12cm long when closed – proof that good things really do come in small packages. £39. genus.gs TAKE COMFORT…

“Now I’m older, I understand that food is a language. You open minds by cooking what you love, and sharing it with others” “I like to change people’s minds about aubergine,” smiles Faranak Habibi. A familiar challenge. When someone tells me they aren’t a fan, I assume they’ve never eaten Iranian food. They are imagining something slimy and greige, perhaps a little bitter or bland. They certainly haven’t tried the bademjon shekampor at Konj, Faranak’s restaurant in Edinburgh, where the aubergine is roasted until its skin wrinkles, stuffed with tomatoey minced beef and sprinkled with sumac, pomegranate seeds and flaked almonds. Konj has been on my to-visit list ever since a fellow half-Iranian told me about the home-style Persian cafe good enough to stand up to her mum’s cooking. Back…

Harry loves I’ve always spent my Sundays at markets. I was born in London and that’s very much the culture I grew up in – Sunday was market day. There’s just no better way to spend it. I’ve lived in Scotland for most of my life, and I really felt we needed a great space for creatives to show their work, so I started Park Lane Market with my co-founder, Lewis Andrew. From the beginning, the demand was just insane, totally surreal. People really do make Glasgow. They certainly make Park Lane Market. Running the market is very much an all-hands-on-deck affair. I’m a trained barista so I can hop on the machine if need be! I think what we do is pretty good fun. I wouldn’t want to fill…

RAIN SUPREME And if it pours? You won't find us moping about it. Not when showerproof style means paintbox brights that lift even the soggiest spirits…