A Designer's Christmas in Tyrone

Built in 1923 and lovingly restored by homeowner and interior designer Scott, this traditional Tyrone farmhouse is rich in history, personality and, this season, festive charm.

- EDITORIAL BY EMMA DEIGHAN. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER BRUCE.

This home's unique style hasn't gone unnoticed. It won its episode of BBC NI’s House of the Year 2024, earning praise for its soulful design and individuality, and at Christmas it's even more beautiful. ‘It’s a special area, very quiet,’ begins homeowner Scott.

His vision for the house was always about preservation over reinvention. ‘It’s the type of home you could move into, rip everything out, and do it all contemporary, but that’s not what I wanted. I wanted to retain its soul.’

That soulful thread runs through every room, and it’s felt most at Christmas, when the house transforms into a warm, nostalgic retreat lit by chandeliers, candlelight, and the scent of pine and firewood. ‘I like the house to be wrapped in a quiet festive glow,’ Scott says. ‘It’s about lingering over the small joys, the twinkle of lights, the scent of evergreens, the little treasures that tell stories of Christmases past.’

The hallway, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Yeabridge Green 287 with woodwork in School House White, introduces the home's understated country charm. ‘I wanted it to feel inviting yet elegant,’ Scott explains. ‘I stripped it back, removed the carpet from the stairs, and discovered the original quarry tiles from when the house was built.’ His Christmas decorating starts close to home. 'My number one go-to place before any shop for decorations is my garden. Branches and foliage are the perfect beginnings of Christmas for me. They're great for wreaths and garlands and set the rooms up so beautifully.'