Professional Documents
Culture Documents
She’s
all the best
She’s the go-to girl for all things
American and design-related. And
now we’ve got her on our team!
Home Plus Scotland welcomes
Ronda Carman.
or most of my life it has been my habit to amass as Never in a million years did I imagine that I would one day
Ronda
people in our society, the minds that think outside the box,
who deserve attention and limelight.
Whether it’s wine, wallpaper, sheets or shoes, I am always
on the search for an interesting back-story or a fascinating
individual creating a life doing something they love. PS… Don’t forget to check out www.allthebestblog.com
Which is why I guess I fit in so well with the Home Plus when you’re online looking at the new Home Plus
Scotland team! Scotland website!
There’s no
place like
home
Ronda Carman chats to a fellow Texan in
Glasgow, Gwen Nicol, to find out how she has
made their rented house feel like home.
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W
ant confirmation of the old adage, home is
where the heart is? Then look no further than
the beautiful detached villa Gwen and Scott
Nicol are temporarily calling home.
When the family of five moved to Glasgow from Texas
they were certain of two things; that the move wouldn’t
be permanent and that the house had to feel like home.
For the Gwen that meant an abundance of space for
her three boys to run and play, a garden, a large
kitchen and, most importantly, their own furniture.
Unlike in Scotland, it's rare to find furnished flats or
houses to let in America. "I can’t imagine not having
our own belongings and furniture with us, especially as
we have children," Gwen says, looking around the
bright, airy and spacious lounge. "It's very important
to me to be able to create a home environment. To us,
that means being surrounded by memories and the
things that we love. The architecture of this house is
vastly different from the Southern and French
influenced styles of my childhood."
The stylish and easygoing Louisiana native had very
clear ideas about how to both play up and play down
the magnificent interiors of the West End villa to make
the house appropriately stylish and comfortably
charming. "The last thing that I want is a home where
family and friends aren’t free to relax," Gwen quips
whilst waiting for a turkey to be delivered and
preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for their network of
Scottish friends, which includes 12 adults and 13
children. Playing host to the occasion is one of the
most striking and well-used rooms of the home — the
dining room. Deep green walls create a stunning
backdrop for art, family, friends and food, Colin Park
artwork takes pride of place and a gorgeous white light
dominates the eye-line.
Skilfully mixing playful with the precious and old with
the transient and new, each room has a unique and
distinctive aesthetic. A pair of Ariat cowboy boots rests
against the garden door, whilst a rustic coffee table in
the lounge marries with modern art and antiques in a
happy, unpretentious manner. "When you add
different styles and textures to a room you create a
certain cosiness and liveability. Our furniture is meant
to be used, you can dance on this table," Gwen laughs
pointing to a table anchoring the lounge. "I love a
home that bustles with activities, guests and parties."
This unpredictable, personal mix of styles lends to the
sense that the house is truly a home, one that has long
been cultivated by fun, interesting and cultured people
— even if it’s a temporary arrangement.
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