Jim McLean drew on his showhome design background when building his own house in Glasgow
SUN, views and balconies sums up Jim McLean’s vision as he set out to build his own house in Glasgow’s Newton Mearns. He was in a Mediterranean state of mind.
Jim, who runs Jim McLean Designs, has been creating show home interiors for 20 years and knew what he wanted from his new-build. He and his wife, Isabelle, bought the plot, a former paddock, in spring 2008 – the site is breathtaking with fantastic views.
The three-storey house has a 14-metre-long glass balcony at first-floor level, glass entrance vestibule, double-height vaulted ceiling in the hallway and American white oak handcrafted staircase.
Work at 1 Birch Grove View, Capelrig Road, began in October 2009, though it was another 14 months before the couple and their youngest daughter Katie, 14, were able to move in. The layout is practical yet inspiring – the ground floor boasts a home cinema room, a gym, utility room, WC and double garage. On the first floor is an open-plan kitchen with dining and family areas with bi-fold doors opening into the garden, a formal lounge with bi-fold doors onto the balcony, TV room, study and cloakroom. The second floor claims the master bedroom with en suite plus a dressing room, three further bedrooms, two with en suites and one with a dressing room, plus the family bathroom.
Each bathroom has been designed and fitted by Porcelanosa, as has the kitchen. Even the balcony has been finished with non-slip Porcelanosa tiles.
“I have worked in the showhome side of the business and I know what I and most families want – big kitchen, dining and family area, bedrooms with walk-in dressing rooms and en suites, and the luxury of a cinema room and surround sound throughout the house. I knew what I wanted, but I needed Canata and Seggie Architects to put that down on paper for me,” says Jim.
The open-plan kitchen features a mix of matt Wenge and high-gloss Calco units and a dark brown Corian worktop.
The master bedroom has been finished with elegant tones of champagne and mocha, while Katie’s room features a mix of fuchsia and soft pink. The master en suite and family bathroom both have contemporary free-standing baths.
A star-studded welcome is found in the cinema room, which features framed pictures of Hollywood stars.
“I tend to use the cinema room to watch football – it means I can shout and bawl at the TV without disturbing anyone else,” laughs Jim.
“I like neutral calming tones in the house as you can bring in colours through artwork, or through lamps and vases. Isabelle picked a lot of the soft furnishings but she is generally happy to go along with me on the styling as I have been doing this for years. Most of the wallpapers are either Brian Yates or Today Interiors.”
Despite having put their heart and soul into creating their home, the McLean family are now moving. “The house is too big for us,” concedes Jim. “Had our two older children still been at home then it would have been a fabulous house for all of us.
“We feel it would be more suited to a bigger family who will really appreciate the space.
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