Colourful home takes top prize in festive TV special
Edinburgh house is winner of BBC Scotland show
ACOLOURFUL and creative mid-terraced home in Edinburgh has been crowned Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year. Bay Tree House secured a win against four festive homes in Auchterarder, East Renfrewshire, Greenock and Glasgow. The one-off BBC Scotland programme also saw the debut of architect Danny Campbell, who joined as a new judge alongside interior designers Anna Campbell Jones and Banjo Beale.
Home to Katie and Jamie Morris, their six-year-old daughter Beth and Frida the cat, Bay Tree House embraces a fun-filled, handmade and colourful approach to Christmas.
With creativity at the heart of the homeowners Christmas designs, Katie loves nothing more than handcrafting her own stockings and decorations with a little help from Beth and Jamie.
Amongst the festive design highlights, the home features hand-crafted colourful paperchains and stockings; homemade decorations crafted with remnants of wallpaper, fabric and paint leftovers; and an Elf breakfast scene, inspired by the movie, featuring a mini train set, spaghetti, waffles and sweet treats. For this family, Christmas time is all about creating a multi-coloured, fun festive home where memories can be made.
The judges awarded the home full marks with a winter-wonderful 30 points, beating off competition from homes in Auchterarder (Beit Al Milad), East Renfrewshire (White Lion Townhouse), Glasgow (Hops Cottage) and Greenock (1880s Apartment).
Homeowner Katie Morris was delighted Bay Tree House won the coveted Christmas title. She said: “It feels surreal, like a dream and very exciting. All the houses were beautiful and all so different. We are blown away with the result!
“It was lovely meeting the judges. They are so friendly, enthusiastic and kind, making us feel at ease. Banjo made me laugh lots saying ‘You’ve won baby!’– he is exactly the person you see on TV.
“I think Danny in particular loved the Elf breakfast as he has young children himself.
“Anna loved our use of fabric, wallpaper and paint scraps and was asking how we’d made our floral arrangements. Banjo even asked if we could adopt him so he could live in our home!
“We’re very proud to have the colourful winning trophy centre stage in our living room on our book shelf – it looks very much at home!”
Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year judge and interior designer, Anna Campbell Jones, said: “Bay Tree house is a joyful example of a home decorated not only with masses of individuality but sustainably too, with lots of brilliant homemade ideas to steal.
“It’s a riot of rainbow colours that works perfectly with the design of the home whilst utterly transforming it for the festive season. I can’t think of a more magical home for a child to wake up in on Christmas Day.”
Interior designer and judge Banjo Beale agreed: “Handmade, home spun and full of fun, Bay Tree House is a perfect little Christmas home and, like the best presents, gives nothing away from the outside. Christmas needn’t cost the earth and this place proves it using remnant fabric and paper as decorations – a pure joy.”
New judge, architect Danny Campbell, added: “Bay Tree House has a unique Christmas feel, beating the foraged and the flamboyant to the title! It had the architectural whimsy of a basement conversion and a handcrafted continuity throughout the home to make any parent jealous! It was a truly joyful and cleverly designed space with a sprinkling of childishness that really hit the spot!”
Scotland’s Home Of The Year, will return to BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer for a sixth series in 2024.