A traditional early 20th century croft house in Stornoway has been crowned as Scotland’s Home of the Year.
New Tolsta was announced as the winner of the popular BBC Scotland series in a special hour-long episode filmed at Glasgow’s House For An Art Lover.
Among the nine finalists was Fife home the Old Waterworks, a stunning home near Crail that was converted from a ruined concrete storage tank.
The winning house, New Tolsta, is owned by artist Tom Hickman. A truly unique home, it’s filled with Tom’s artwork, mixed with traditional pieces of furniture.
Tom bought New Tolsta in 2006, at which point it had been uninhabited for 37 years.
Since then he has painstakingly restored the croft house to its former glory as well as adding his own distinctive style throughout.
The restored croft house on the north east coast of the Isle of Lewis has a traditional two-up, two-down layout, with a beautiful kitchen, living room and bathroom on the ground floor and two bedrooms upstairs.
Unanimous pick
Scotland’s Home of the Year judges, lifestyle blogger Kate Spiers, interior designer Anna Campbell-Jones and architect and lecturer Michael Angus, unanimously picked New Tolsta as their overall winner.
Indeed, the house reduced Anna and Michael to tears during the final selection in the inspirational surroundings of Glasgow’s House For An Art Lover.
Owner Tom Hickman is thrilled his home won the coveted title. He said: “Well I have to admit it does bring an unexpected smile – winning is not something I’m used to. I’m certainly surprised, but way down deep somewhere there is a little voice saying ‘At last!’ As artists, we are all our own worst critics, so yes, it’s nice to receive praise.
“I was fascinated to firstly see Anna, Michael and Kate’s nicely understated reaction to the exterior, and they did well to not judge the book by its cover. It was strange not being able to welcome them, but now I see I needn’t have worried as my home did that for me.
“I’d like to extend an open invitation to them all, should they wish to take a second look and hear some of the stories behind the objects and fabric of my home.”
Stiff competition
New Tolsta beat off stiff competition from eight other finalists from across Scotland including homes in Fort William, Kippen, Kirkwall, Hawick, Edinburgh, Elsrickle, Helensburgh and Fife.
SHOTY Judge and interior designer, Anna Campbell Jones said: “We are always looking for individual homes filled with the expression of the homeowner’s personality and taste – and of course love.
“I don’t think we have ever seen such an exceptional example of a home meeting these criteria. The overwhelming sense of the person who lives there communicated via the cornucopia of his incredible creations, from the painted floors, to the embroidery to the artwork on the walls, all by his own hand – what a genius!”
Lifestyle blogger, Kate Spiers agreed: “I think New Tolsta just packed in so much of what we all look for in a home. I know for me, I look for a home that feels true to the homeowner and you could tell that so much love and care had gone in to every inch of the place. Plus, it had a commitment to being authentically eco-conscious – everything in the home had been repurposed, upcycled, thrifted or rehomed.
“It really stood out in the show because it really had its own atmosphere – it didn’t conform to trends or a certain aesthetic, but somehow it was still this beautiful, timeless home which captured the personality of the homeowner.”
New beginnings
Architect and lecturer Michael Angus added: “If home is a marriage of inhabitant and property, what stood out about New Tolsta was how special that relationship was, how perfectly suited both appeared, both infusing the other creatively and spiritually.
“It wasn’t the building nor the setting which made New Tolsta unique, despite each being remarkable in their own way. Rather it was the rejuvenated spirit blossoming so vibrantly within, serving to establish an unforeseen future for a building doubtless deemed condemned. What worse fate for a building, than uselessness? And what better than having fresh possibilities revealed?”
Tom took over 15 years to restore New Tolsta, he says: “Labours of love are in themselves worthwhile as can be seen with my embroidery. I certainly didn’t at any time imagine I would be entering a competition and even less to be winning anything. My labours, if you can call them that, gave me great satisfaction in getting ever closer to a point of comfort. If I still had the strength I’d love to do it all over again but maintenance work will always be required. For now though, I need to muster all my strength for the annual peat cutting season!”
Grand final
Travelling to Glasgow for the final was an experience Tom will never forget.
“The last time I’d visited Glasgow was in 1958 to have my tonsils out when I was five years old. There was a real sense of adventure, not just with a flight down the west coast of Scotland and seeing it from on high, but being back in Glasgow after so long.
“Myself and the other finalists all got to spend the day together and from the outset there was a relaxed feeling. It didn’t feel like there was any competition as all of us had already won in the first round. I didn’t envy the judges having to choose an overall winner.
“Home is what you make it, but how you go about judging and choosing a home of the year is still a bit of a mystery to me. I think every one of the finalists lived in their own best home.”
Anna, Kate and Michael’s search for Scotland’s Home Of The Year took them the length and breadth of the country, visiting 27 exceptional homes, showcasing a vast range of home styles including cosy little homes, grand conversions, stunning self-builds, breath-taking renovations, quirky conversions and environmentally friendly houses.
A new, fifth series, of the popular property show begins filming later this month.
All episodes of Scotland’s Home of the Year are on BBC iPlayer. To enter your home for the next series of the show click here.
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