Having recently appeared on Scotland’s Home of the Year, we take a closer look at the moody, hedonistic, but wholly welcoming home of the musically-inclined Tamara Schlesinger.

A director of her own indie record company, Tantrum Records, solo artist MALKA and former lead singer and songwriter of 6 Day Riot, who has also written and released eight albums in 16 years, it’s safe to say Tamara Schlesinger has kept herself pretty busy. Having enjoyed chart success, extensively toured the UK and North America, and played at numerous festivals such as Glastonbury and Bestival, Tamara returned to Scotland in 2017 with her partner, Martin, and young children, Matilda and Hal.

Having settled in Glasgow, Tamara, who draws from her degree in fashion from Central St Martin’s to create all aspects of the visual identity for her projects, has created a stunning family home filled with curiosities and antiquities that represent her unique style and personality, in every room. Now lecturing in music business and mentoring various artists as they release their own material, while still creating her own music and regularly touring and playing live, as well as having just launched Hen Hoose, an all-female songwriting production house, Tamara’s home is more than just a place to put her feet up—it’s her sanctuary.

Now, she chats exclusively with Hood about life on the road, her love of Scotland, living in Glasgow, and assembling a home that reflects her personality.

You’ve had huge success with your music, amassed a vast amount of play on national radio, and had tracks featured on TV shows (Skins, Awkward, Finding Carter) as well as in Hollywood films and trailers (Scream 4, 127 Hours)—why did you decide to return to Scotland?

We had been living in London for such a long time and loved it there. But after having our children, we realised that we were not engaging with the city in the same way, had no family support, worked late, and hardly left the area we lived in. We had a lovely two-bed flat in Stoke Newington, but we knew that if we wanted a bigger space, we would have to move to the outskirts of London, and we didn’t want to do that. As it came to the time for Matilda to start school, we decided to move back to Scotland— and we don’t regret it for a minute.

You must have spent much of your career on the road, recording, appearing at music festivals, and touring. How does it feel to now have a home and to be in one place most of the time?

I really like the change of pace. In the early days with my old band 6 Day Riot, we toured constantly, and we would play about fifteen festivals a summer. It was a great life, but not one that I miss. I still tour and play festivals now, but not as many dates as I did before. I like the balance of life now. I love having the house; it feels so great to have somewhere that is so us, that we have created together—it makes touring even less inviting.

You chose to settle in Glasgow; why was that?

Both of us grew up in Glasgow, in the southside, and we have family here. We wanted to be nearby. It also helps that we just love Glasgow—there are always new places opening, it’s full of culture, and it has such a good buzz about it.

Your home, which recently made the final of the television show, BBC Scotland’s Scotland’s Home of the Year, is dark and mysterious—was that a conscious decision?

I don’t know if it was a conscious decision as such. I love colour and pattern, and the rooms were so big (especially compared to our old flat) that it didn’t feel daunting to go dark and moody. The rooms always feel light and bright even though the colours are dark.

Patterns feature predominantly in your interior design; where does the love of bold statements come from?

I loved fashion when I studied at St Martin’s, but I think I was a far better stylist than a designer. However, my art comes into play with my music, as I always do all of the artwork, and I still style the photoshoots and make headpieces.

I have never been afraid of being bold with my clothes, and I guess that probably just flowed into the house, too. All of the patterns feel natural and intuitive to me, and I haven’t over-thought anything. Martin is really into the details and often takes his time with handles and light fittings, while I’m more into colours and textures and prints. I think we balance each other and our skills well.

How do you synchronise having statement interiors with the practicalities of a family home?

Going dark is actually good when you have kids—it hides a multitude of sins! We’ve also opted for colour-match paints in a scrubbable version, which has been a lifesaver, particularly when Hal decided to draw on the walls. In general, though, we want everyone to feel relaxed in our house—we are not precious about anything. We have the kids’ toys hidden in cupboards, so it looks tidy in the evening, but they can make as much mess as they like during the day. We have also gone for a broken plan set up downstairs, which means that we can separate the rooms and dampen the noise if we like, but the doors have glass panels so that we can always see what the kids are up to.

You took your house back to the bare bones during its renovation. Do you have any tips on how to keep sane during this process?

Looking back, we were remarkably (and surprisingly) calm during the process. We only had a microwave for about 18 months, but we enjoyed the renovation so much that it was all doable. I think you need to be patient (which

is not my strength) and try to enjoy each stage. When one room is done, enjoy that room. We did the kids’ room first, so they had a happy space to go to bed and feel relaxed. My husband and I didn’t mind if we had a mattress on the floor for a while.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Mostly in films, TV shows or photoshoots, I’m always looking for really interesting interiors that catch your eye and set a mood.

We saw your gorgeous front door was an eBay find—where else do you search out your accessories?

eBay is always great, and I love that door! I also love Graham & Green and always wait for its sale to grab some beautiful pieces. Also, there’s an excellent shop in Glasgow called Aume, which sells beautiful homeware.

Your style is undoubtedly maximalist—how should previously diehard minimalists try it out?

I always think about the worst-case scenario, and, really, all you would have to do would be to repaint a dark wall light or remove an accessory or two. I guess I don’t feel afraid of trying something and then changing my mind—you can live with something for a while and then change it again at some point. To start the process, I would maybe paint one room (I’d recommend avoiding paper unless you’re confident as it’s more expensive to change) and then live with that and see how much further I’d want to go.

Do you think you’ve found your ‘forever home’?

Yes, definitely! We really have put everything into this house. We feel so happy here; I can’t imagine us moving.

Do you think your home has what it takes to make it to the Christmas special of Scotland’s Home of the Year? If you love transforming your home at the most wonderful time of the year, the SHOTY team wants to hear from you. Whether you go for minimal cool yule style and a traditional tree or turn your house into a winter wonderland festooned with festive lights - they’re looking for Scotland's most impressive Christmas homes.

They welcome homes of all sizes, and on any budget so if your passion is creating a unique, magical Christmas home then get in touch the team today.

For more information, please send your contact details, a brief description of how you decorate your home at Christmas and a few photos to scotlandshomes@iwcmedia.co.uk

A Tour Like No Other