Scotland’s Home of the Year 2026 is here! We speak to Guy and Lynne about their extended Arts & Crafts villa in Edinburgh, which features on episode one

The hunt is on for Scotland’s Home of the Year 2026. Judges Anna Campbell-Jones, Banjo Beale along and Danny Campbell start their search in the East where they have to choose between a Grade B listed Art Deco villa in Craiglockhart, a bungalow conversion in Mortonhall and a renovated detached property in the village of Fordell.

First up is Art Deco Villa, an Arts & Crafts house in the Edinburgh suburb of Craiglockhart. Home to Guy and Lynne and their dogs Jensen and Tyson, the impressive property was built in 1932 by two of Scotland’s most important architects, Sir Basil Spence and Sir William Hardie Kininmonth. Originally Guy’s childhood home, the couple have undertaken a full renovation since moving in, adding an impressive, modern extension. Born from three years or work is a house of two halves; a place which celebrates both period and contemporary design.

We believe this to be one of the most impressive properties to feature on Scotland’s Home of the Year. In January, H&IS spoke to esteemed architect David Blaikie, whose practice lifted this 20th-century house out of its dusty past. The architect was tasked with renovating the original property as well as adding an astounding gable-roofed curved extension, which features a cylindrical pantry, huge open-plan living spaces, window walls, and a fluid kitchen area. The spirit of the home was once tied to Guy’s mother, the previous owner — chock-full of antiquarian quirks that weren’t fit for modern living — but is now a 21st-century design-led home built on art and furniture sourced from around the globe.

How does it feel to be in Scotland’s Home of the Year 2026?

It feels great. We’ve always been fans of Scotland’s Home of the Year and, like all viewers probably do, would sit and critique homes, and think, “I wonder what the judges would think of our home”. We were playing with the idea of entering when our architect, by chance, asked whether we’d give it a go. We embraced the serendipity and started chatting with the production company. And here we are! We’re a bit nervous to see ourselves on screen, but it’s all good fun.

What were some of your home must-haves?

I don’t think the people who built the house spent much time in the kitchen, because it was tiny. I love to cook and to entertain so maximising open-plan space around the kitchen and into living areas was a key focus — particulary in the extension. I mean, you have to live in the house before you truly understand what you need. So, I’d say that, yes, these parts are must-haves. But we’re also always adding to what we have and doing things that make it feel like a home.

Would you say that your home is multi-generational?

Yes. Generations of us may not live in the house together, but generations of us have put our stamp on it. Hints of my late mother’s life here still exist. We have heirloom pieces laced throughout both parts of the house, with artwork that harks to past eras. We also love to collect art on our own travels. We spend a lot of time in South Africa, so have many pieces from there. We wanted to respect my mother’s life here by maintaining the original building. But we needed to make it fit our current lifestyle — that’s where the extension comes in.

What do you hope judges notice about you home?

Well, we had only lived here for three months before filming started, so we have many pieces now that we wish we had when Scotland’s Home of the Year came knocking! I mean, you could still smell the fresh paint! We were in South Africa and brought art back that we wished we’d had before the judges came. Like I say, you don’t know what the house is missing until you live in it, or until you find something that you didn’t realise you needed; that elevates the entire space.

Your home is expansive and modern, but there are a few wacky elements. Do you think this balance of personality and minimalism will set your home apart from others on the show?

We have large open spaces with unique architectural elements — like the pillar pantry — but we also have a lobster printed sofa, leafy green chair cushions and animal motifs across benches and artwork. It’s about repurposing colour and pattern to make things pop out from the neutral base — especially in the walls. We also have items that are as old as the house, like a set of small couches. I thought they were for children at first — too big to be a one-person armchair, but too small to fit more than one-and-a-half people on — but it turns out that 20th-century ladies used to sit on them with their many layers of skirts and petticoats. These ladies, in their dresses, were too big for a normal seat, so had to use these oddly-sized couches! But covering them with a modern fabric, I think, is a pretty good reflection of how we’ve blended the old with the new, and made the most of pieces that my mother loved.

How does your home represent you?

We have things that reflect my heritage. Like my grandfather’s old drinks cabinet from his office, which is made from Japanese wood. We love music and we love nature, too. We always have music playing and so mount our favourite records to the walls. Again, adding personality to what is ultimately a very architecturally-focused design.

Watch Scotland’s Home of the Year 2026 on BBC One Scotland on Monday 6th of April at 8:30pm, and on BBC Scotland on Wednesday 8th April at 8pm. Episodes will be available on demand via BBC iPlayer from Monday 6th of April at 8:30pm

Read more about this incredible house, featuring on Scotland’s Home of the Year 2026, below.

A curved extension transforms this sumptuous Arts & Crafts villa