Scotland's Home of the Year: when did it get so highfalutin?

The Herald Scotland

12-05-2025

BACK in the olden days of 2019, the year SHOTY began, it did not take much to impress viewers. A cleverly placed skylight or nicely restored parquet flooring was enough to send us racing to B&Q, ready to recreate the look in our own humble gaffs.
But these days, don't even think of coming through the door unless you know your enfilade from your Zellige tiles, your Eames combo from your Togo sofa. In Scotland, in some parts at least, we're all design freaks now.
At the halfway mark of the competition, the judges went to Central and Tayside (spoilers ahead). First stop was the Tree House in Broughty Ferry. Designed by a young architect 60 years ago for his own family, the modernist building had lain empty for five years till Jackie and Paul came along to restore it and add some magic of their own.
Read more​
For judge Danny it was love at first sight. An architect by trade, Danny is usually the first to wheel out his specialist knowledge, but this time he was beaten to the punch by fellow judge and interior designer Anna. 'It's a classic modernist move to connect spaces with partial walls, setting the rooms up enfilade,' she declared.
'Enfilade?' asked Banjo.
'It means without corridors,' said Anna.
Not wishing to be left out, Danny started to bang on about 'clean lines' and 'creating volumes'.
On to the kitchen and even Banjo, normally such a grounded sort, felt the need to stick his design oar in, praising the Zellige tiles. A quick Google search revealed these to be Moroccan and known for their 'irregularity of appearance' or, to use a more familiar term, wonkiness.
Home of the year (Image: PHOTOGRAPHER:IWC Media)
All we really wanted to see was the rest of the house - gorgeous - before stopping off at The Dairy, a farm steading conversion in Deanston near Doune. With its hand-painted animal wallpaper, Welsh blankets and tray of empire biscuits, The Dairy restored the mood to silliness as usual.
The Carriage House, a Victorian conversion in Auchterarder, was the final contender. Audrey and Malcolm's home had some oddly shaped rooms. In the TV room the sofas were away from the walls and placed at a 45-degree angle. 'My feng shui is pinging,' said Banjo. 'I don't know if that's the way to do it.'
They spent so long assessing furniture angles there was hardly any time to praise the jewel in the crown - the garden (above). It had taken Audrey 17 years to get the outside as she wanted it, and every minute had been well spent. Magnificent.
I know it's Scotland's home of the year and not Scotland's garden, but maybe there's scope for another programme along those lines. With the original SHOTY now so highfalutin, getting back to basics could be just the thing.
The winner was never in any doubt, with The Tree House five points clear of the other contenders. Next week, it is on to the Highlands and Islands. What are our chances of spotting shadow gap skirting there?