A Well Decorated Home

Having recently won series three of BBC Scotland’s Scotland’s Home of the Year, Karen Livingstone Welstead has also secured herself a blossoming media career to boot. We couldn’t wait to meet the owner of The Moss to find out what makes a house an award-winning home and how her passion for interiors has transformed into a TV career.    

A director of her own interior design company, Interior, Karen is no novice to the design process but it was her own home capturing the imagination of the nation that brought the recognition of her craft she so deserves. Residing in Killearn with her husband Matt, three children, two dogs, a cat and four chickens, here, Karen talks high street finds, family-first design, and her Rightmove addiction exclusively with Hood. 

Firstly, congratulations on your win! This, however, isn’t your first brush with interiors. How long have you worked within the industry?

Thank you! I started my home staging and interiors consultancy just over four years ago, and I haven’t looked back.

It seems like a difficult industry to crack—how did you get into interiors?

My career has taken a few turns over the years but I started in this industry by developing properties. Friends and associates were soon asking me to furnish, style, and stage their homes or properties, and it has grown from there to a busy interiors consultancy.

The Moss is a stunning property; how did you find it?

I’m a little bit addicted to Rightmove and spotted The Moss during a late-night search, just over three years ago. We’d had no intention of moving at the time, but once I spotted it, it was full-steam ahead.

How would you class your interior design style and how did you approach decorating The Moss? 

Eclectic, unpretentious, and adventurous—but never for the sake of it. I approached decorating The Moss as an owner, not with my professional eye, but the experience I've gained over the years definitely helped. This house had to be for all of us and a family home has to work very hard. Everything in the home has to either perform a specific function or be beautiful. I always look for practical options—which seems like a dirty word in fashion and interiors—but I don’t think you need to sacrifice beauty in favour of practicality, particularly if it works for you and your family. For example, we chose bold blue lockers for the kids in our boot room—they look great and are the place to store outdoor kit and sports paraphernalia out of sight. I’m also a big fan of patterned wallpapers and scrubbable dark paints, which are practical but also striking. 

Where do you get your inspiration?

All over, really. Art, fashion, magazines, hotels… You name it. Inspiration is everywhere if you’re open to it. 

Where do you search out your homeware and accessories?

I can’t resist a rummage in TK Maxx and Homesense—the high stock turnover makes every visit unique. I really like a mix of high street and bespoke, both at home and for my projects. Think of it like your wardrobe; staples from the high street, some expensive accessories and a really good vintage find or two to add interest.

For readers tackling home renovation projects, big or small, what are your top tips? 

My number one tip is get the budget clear then figure out what needs to be done first. It might be boring to use a chunk of the budget to do the roof or replace the windows, but no-one wants water ingress on the fancy soft furnishings or the wind howling through the house.

What made you decide to enter Scotland’s Home of the Year? 

We were actually asked to be on the show by the production team, which is pretty common in the world of TV. We all needed a little boost during a pretty bleak year so decided to go for it. Being a part of the show was such a fun experience for the whole family, which I’m very grateful for. 

How did it feel to win the series? 

It was fantastic, but we weren’t allowed to talk about it to anyone until the show aired which made it feel like it had never happened! 

Since winning SHOTY you have launched a TV career of your own; what can you tell us about that? 

Yes! Well, as we speak I’m on a long train journey back home from filming in the Midlands for a BBC programme called Virtually Home. 

So, do you think you’ve found your ‘forever home’, or could another project be on the cards? 

You know, a lot of people have asked me this. No. Maybe. Who knows? Nothing is forever—perhaps another late-night Rightmove session will prove too tempting… 

Watch Karen on the new Virtually Home programme on IPlayer