Stunning B-listed art deco villa with modern upgrades joins competition for Scotland's Home of the Year
A stunning home in one of Edinburgh’s most sought-after suburbs is set to be featured in an upcoming episode of Scotland’s Home Of The Year.
Guy and Lynne Harrower are hoping to impress judges Banjo Beale, Danny Campbell, and Anna Campbell-Jones with their sprawling art deco villa, located in Craiglockhart.
The four-bed property, named Glenwood, was previously the childhood home of Guy, who now lives there with his wife Lynne and their dogs Jensen and Tyson.
The couple undertook renovation and extension work on the historic building after Guy’s mother died in 2022.
Guy said: “We gutted the place. From when my mother died, we decided to take the house on and it had to be completely redone. It was basically just the shell left when we started.
“There was asbestos in the walls that all had to be hand scraped off. There was new central heating put in, new electrics put in, new plumbing put in, absolutely everything.”
The size of the project didn’t stop Guy and Lynne from moulding Glenwood into their perfect home.
The 1930s B-listed building is an original piece of work by renowned Scottish architect Sir Basil Spence.
Alongside restoration works, Guy and Lynne added a sophisticated extension featuring an open-plan kitchen and living area onto the classic building to update the home for modern living.
They were committed to retaining the charm and design of the original house while introducing modern elements.
Guy said: “It was very much a project of two halves. It was the renovation of the existing house and then the extension as well.
“There's just so many things that when you look at them and go ‘Oh, that's just beautiful’ or, ‘Wow, you just don't see that in modern homes’.
“Things like a wrought iron staircase with peacocks in it. You'd never get in it unless you paid an arm and a leg for it these days.
“They used to have oil fired central heating, and it has these brass almost steampunk-like thermostats. So when they're polished up and they've got this brass sitting against a white wall, it just looks amazing.
“There’s so many nice design elements to the house that just had to be highlighted and brought back to life, and then taken as I say for modern living as well.”
In the upcoming episode, Lynne names her favourite spot in the home as the open-plan kitchen and living area, which looks out onto the impressive garden.
Guy admits that while he also enjoys the extension space, there’s another part of the home that could claim his top spot.
“If I was going to pick somewhere else, I would say the attic because that's where my drum kit is.
“The thing about the house is there's so many different rooms that I like and like at different times of day, and for different purposes. It's great.”
The bonus for Guy is that he has been able to update the house while holding onto his childhood and lifelong memories of the family home.
He said: “When my mum and dad lived here, it was the party house. My mum was a great hostess.
“We were married in the garden here, my uncle was married in the garden here, my 21st was here, my uncle's 50th was here.
“It just seems there’s a whole list of important dates, especially through my life, that happened at the house and it became a very focal point.”
Guy and Lynne’s decision to apply for Scotland’s Home Of The Year came from their love of the show itself.
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Guy said: “It's a program that we've always watched and really enjoy.
“After two and a half, nearly three years of renovating and building, we thought maybe it would be a good laugh to put Glenwood in and see what happens, not thinking we would ever get through to any process at all. The house just needs to be showcased in some way.”
Guy and Lynne’s art deco villa features in episode one of Scotland’s Home Of The Year series eight.
The episode will be shown at 8.30pm on Monday, April 6 on BBC One Scotland and BBC iPlayer.