Hot SHOTY brings it all back home
The 1960s Bungalow in Milngavie – a quirky one-of-a-kind family home – has been crowned winner of Scotland’s Home of the Year for 2024. Kirsty Mcluckie congratulates Anna Mcclelland, one of its proud owners
Having deservedly won through its regional heat, The 1960s Bungalow in Milngavie, East Dumbartonshire, went on to scoop the BBC’S Scotland’s Home of the Year award for 2024. Harry Kinloch and Anna Mcclelland are the winning team behind the triumph, and we spoke to the latter while the taste of victory was still fresh.
What do you both do for a living?
I have two jobs, I work in school adminstration and in a supermarket. My partner, Harry, works for City & Guilds in an innovations role. Neither or us really have creative jobs – despite both being graduates of Glasgow School of Art – but we use the house as a creative outlet.
When did you move in?
About 12 years ago. We had previously lived in the West End of Glasgow but I am from Milngavie and [the bungalow] seemed like a very sensible buy in terms of schools and amenities when we were about to start a family. It is not the most attractive house, but it is on a hill and has a great view which is what attracted us.
It was a very practical decision and I think people were surprised when we bought it, because it wasn’t very inspiring. But sometimes older properties can be a bit restricting, they already have character and beauty. When you have a house that has no features that you treasure, it gives a lot of opportunity.
What have you done to the house?
When we bought, it just had four rooms, all downstairs, and a toilet in the middle which was the first thing you saw when you came through the front door.
A year after we moved in, we extended upwards – taking the roof off and adding a box dormer – to add two bedrooms. More recently, during lockdown, we extended at the back to make the kitchen much larger, and to add another bedroom – so it now has four.
During that work, the whole back of the house came off and we had no kitchen for a while, but we did get rid of the toilet. The previous kitchen was blocked in and small, with a massive island, so all of us crammed in there in the morning was a nightmare. But now we have a big space, and when you come in the front door, you can see right out to the back garden. The house still isn’t huge – despite us almost doubling the floor size – but it feels a lot bigger.
How would you describe your decorating style?
When we come home we feel it is positive and stimulating, and really personal to us. It is joyful, I get joy out of the projects, and certain colours and patterns give me a lot of joy. I’ve been asked what visitors’ reactions are, and it really does split people – half the people don’t even notice the quirkiness and the others are impressed or interested, it just depends on your own personality. A lot of people think it has been designed for the kids [Lexie and Marley], but the cartoon aspect of it is actually very me.
Who decides on the decor?
I’m more restless when things aren’t as I would like them to be, but Harry is very good at discussing ideas, and from that better things come. Through our conversations we get something to where it needs to be. I certainly don’t always get things right the first time, but collaboration will get us there in the end.
How much of the practical work have you done yourselves?
We are not very practical people, although we do all the painting. If something actually has to be built, then we’ll get a professional in.
When we saw the other houses [in the final of Scotland’s Home of the Year], we were impressed with how much building work other people had done themselves, but that is not us. And when I have attempted to do more complicated jobs myself, it does tend to look tacky, so I’ve learned not to.
Where do you get your inspiration?
From anything and everything. I find the world visually fascinating, so although I don’t go hunting in vintage shops, I will perhaps see something in a garden centre that I like.
We went to Deep Sea World in North Queensferry, and I spotted a giant octopus and a giant crab, and I loved the patterns on them.
I don’t follow interior designers, but I do have favourite artists and will be inspired by shapes and colours in their work.
Do you have a favourite part of the house?
Not really, I’m more interested in the way things work together. And I’m not precious about any of it – they aren’t antiques and if it all burned down, I’d be sad, but I’d just start again.
Do you showcase your work anywhere else?
I have an Instagram page – @Annarilka – but I’m not great at social media. I just put things on there which I think are nice.
Why did you apply to be on Scotland’s Home of the Year?
We were supposed to do it the year before but we were on holiday during filming. The house wasn’t finished anyway, so it turned out to be a blessing. I then forgot all about it but the programme makers got back in touch the next year, and we really did need a push to get things finished, so I was grateful for that. We needed a deadline, so it was a bit of a mad rush to get things finished in time for filming.
Can you describe the process?
After applying, a couple of people come and have a look, and then arrange a filming day. You get chucked out as the judges want to see the house and not the owners. We did have terrible weather, though, so a cameraman came back on a better day.
How difficult was it to keep the win quiet?
I can keep a secret – it was probably more difficult for the children, but I can’t imagine that their school friends would have been that interested.
What did you think of the other houses showcased in this series?
I really liked The Earth House, it was really beautifully done and I hadn’t appreciated the scale and grandeur of it. And also the Coldwater bungalow had lots of lovely interesting touches.
What key piece of advice would
you offer to those wanting to put their stamp on a home?
It can be a lot of work to renovate a whole house, but it is a good idea to start off small in one area that you have a strong feeling about, and know what you want to try. Other things will come of it, but just try it – it is not the end of the world if it doesn’t work. Follow your gut and give it a go.
And confidence is everything – it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks as long as you like it.
Neither or us really
have creative jobs – despite both being graduates of Glasgow School of Art – but we use the house as a creative outlet
Online applications for SHOTY 2025 are open now at www.bbc.co.uk/shoty