Lynn O’Rourke: ‘I can’t put the heating back on... can I?’

THIS chilly weather is putting me behind schedule on all of my attempts at home – and garden – improvements. I still can’t use the decluttered sunroom because it is doing a better impression of a fridge than our kitchen appliance, which has been on its last legs for years.

The kids – oblivious to cold and draughts of any nature – constantly leave our large sliding back door open, which does nothing to help the never ending battle to retain any heat in the glass and brick box that is our small inherited extension. And as it is now mid-May, I can’t put the heating back on… can I?

Of course, should enough heat ever build up in the space for me to finally make a start on any of my long-planned DIY projects, I’ll have to stare out of all that glass at the overgrown jungle that is our back garden. I honestly don’t know what has happened out there. I weeded enough to have aching muscles just, you know, recently. Admittedly the lawnmower has not made an appearance yet, which is probably why we keep losing children in the grass that seems to have shot up overnight. Good job I never got round to the garden path solar lights idea, they’d be gone for ever.

This week we take a look at Robert Gillan’s Georgian house in Edinburgh’s Newington area. The textile designer went with his instinct when he took on a ‘project’ and 20 years on his beautifully reconfigured home, which you can see on page 4, is testament to his instincts being right. We also hear about the clever transformation of a small rural cottage into a family home suitable for three growing boys on page 10. And on page 16 we look around TV presenter Amanda Lamb’s beautiful and constantly evolving home, and hear about her passion for property. Amanda is appearing at this year’s Ideal Home Show Scotland