Inside the Glasgow pad up for Scotland's Christmas Home of the Year

Not so for Scarlett Mack, whose West End cottage is one of five fabulous properties featuring in this year’s sparkling edition of Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year.

Scarlett's stunning decorations provide the perfect finishing touches in the kitchen (Image: IWC)

“I know most people dread having to set it all up, but I’m the opposite,” says Scarlett, with a laugh. “I love the process. I actually feel quite deflated once it’s all done.”

Stage and screen actor Scarlett, who has appeared in a string of theatre and television productions including Outlander, BBC drama The Nest and Bold Girls at the Citizens, has made almost all of the decorations viewers will see in the programme, from the stunning flower cloud above the dining table to the stylish pine and fir garland adding a wintry touch to the bedroom.

A beautiful garland adds a festive touch to the bedroom (Image: IWC)

Nordic-inspired, sustainable and foraged are the themes throughout Hops Cottage, something that is true, says Scarlett, whether it is Christmas or not.

“Understated is kind of what I like anyway,” she explains. “By necessity, really – we live in a cottage, spaces are small, and we have low ceilings. You adapt to what you have. But glitz and glamour is not my go-to style anyway, I much prefer rustic.”

Outside areas also receive a Christmas make-over (Image: IWC)

Using fresh materials such as pine, cedar and dried flowers from her garden and the surrounding area, and keen to avoid waste, Scarlett likes to add home-made decorations throughout her home, all year round.

There is a “faux” tree in the kitchen, made of fresh branches from the garden, which is currently adorned with festive fairy lights. At Easter, it boasts little eggs; in the autumn, pumpkin paper decorations hang from delicate twigs.

The hessian advent pockets are hand-made too (Image: IWC)

Above a comfortable couch, sweet little advent pockets made of hessian help Scarlett, husband Gerry McLaughlin and their two sons Rocco and Reddox, who are seven and five, count down to Christmas Day.

“I started making them without actually realising, stupidly, that I’d have to make 24 of them,” she sighs. “By the end, they are all different sizes, reflecting my varying levels of frustration…”

She laughs. “But the boys love them. My favourite things to use at the moment are oranges – they are cheap, and you can dry out the slices in the oven, and put them in wreaths or table decorations, or just have them hanging around for the lovely smell.”

Christmas for Scarlett starts “quite early,” she says, adding: “Really early, to a normal person. It’s partly because I enjoy it, but also so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.

The cosy fireplace inside the cottage provides a festive glow (Image: IWC)

“At this time of year, it can feel like a lot – there’s suddenly so much stuff coming into your home, and your space is being invaded by it all – wrapped presents, unwrapped presents, a big tree… it can cloud your mind.

“I start in early autumn. I like doing a bit of autumn décor, because I love dried flowers and it’s the perfect excuse to bring some beauty and light into your home at quite a dreary time of year.

“This year, because I had to get the house ready for the TV show, I also used things I already had and just made them Christmassy.”

She jokes: “Anything can be Christmassy just by throwing some fairy lights on it. You get away with a lot with a rustic theme….”

A 'flower cloud' and paper decorations hang above the dining table (Image: IWC)

Christmas for Scarlett is all about family.

“Both Gerry and I have big families and we like busy households, but we also like to factor in some chill time,” she says.

“It can be an insanely busy time, with everyone going places and doing things, so I like to make time for paper snowflakes with the boys, or building a gingerbread house – which, of course, has the added fun factor for them of making something they can instantly demolish and eat.”

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Both Scarlett and Gerry, who is also an actor, are used to television cameras, but admit this was a very different on-screen experience.

“It was weird,” agrees Scarlett. “I wasn’t fussed about the cameras, but it was a funny feeling not being here when the judges came in, not being in control. But it was very enjoyable. I love the show, I have been a big fan for a long time, so being part of it was a lot of fun.”

Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year, featuring Anna Campbell-Jones, Banjo Beale and new judge Danny Campbell, is on BBC One Scotland on Monday, December 18 at 8pm.