Lynn O‘Rourke: ‘We could lose a child in the grass if we left one out’

WITH the Easter holidays at an end and with it the excuse for lounging about on the sofa over-indulging in chocolate because it would be a shame to waste it, the decks are clear for a bit of home (and self) improvement.

I made a mental list of all the finishing off jobs we had to do – and had to sit down with a cup of tea and one of the kids’ eggs they thought they had hidden from me to recover. Then I made the mistake of looking out at the garden.

The fence that the not-so-recent winds tore apart is still sporting a gaping hole; we could lose a child in the grass if we left one out long enough; and the half-demolished wall that formed a sheltered corner (where we have chosen to store ‘stuff’ because it is hidden from view) is still an eyesore. That’s the wall my husband started pulling down last year because, apparently, I had said that was a good idea, which, of course, I hadn’t. And it wasn’t. It is now our own miniature ruin, with all the stone he knocked off it piled up behind the part that is still standing. It’s not a good look. I’ve ignored it for a long time, but have to face facts: we need a skip. Again. I’m not sure I can face the renovation memories it will dredge up. And you can bet it will sit in our drive full of rubble well over the week that we will need it for, annoying the neighbours. And, of course, we’ll have the joy of filling it... where did the kids hide that chocolate?

This week we take a look at the stylish yet family-friendly home of Muriel and Ian Chapple. We also take a look at a fabulous Aberdeen extension that adds a stunning contemporary twist on to a period property. Artist Derek Collins also took the self-built route to create his ideal space in Dunblane. And you can read about the fascinating roof garden on top of a historic mill building in New Lanark.