Heart and soul in eco-home
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A LOCALLY designed house has featured in a prime time television design programme.
Iolaire, an eco-home at The Park near Findhorn, was one of three buildings explored in the 'North' episode of BBC Scotland's Home of the Year, in which three property experts scour the country for the nation's most note-worthy dwelling.
Owner Lori Forsyth and her late husband Bruce Wallace bought the plot at 552 West Whins behind Universal Hall in 2013, before moving in to their new home in 2017.
Lori said: "My husband, a long-serving member of Torridon mountain rescue team, was diagnosed with cancer during the build and died here three months after we moved in.
"Bruce was also a builder and worked on the house as much as he could through his illness.
"I consider the selection of our house by BBC Scotland as a accolade to him - his commitment to getting it finished before he died was testimony to his hard work and skill."
She added: "Bruce put his heart and soul into it - he wanted me to be OK and it was crucial for him that he got it done."
Fittingly, Bruce's son Ruari, a director for Green Leaf design and Build, the firm behind the project, put up the house's frame and made it weather-proof before Bruce and friends completed the inside.
Green Leaf is run by Jason Caddy, grandson of Findorn Foundation founders Peter and Eileen Caddy.
Lori said: "We designed the house with a self-contained bedsit downstairs, which is rented long term to a community member, and also a B&B facility which is busy in the summer months with visitors to the community. I listed the house on AirBnB and was subsequently contacted by a BBC researcher who had seen it on their site. He wanted to send someone up to have a look.
"So I had had a sad year and this opportunity coming out of the blue was uplifting and affirming."
A few weeks later the producer and director visited during a tour of around 12 houses in the area. The show's format requires three houses selected from each of seven areas in Scotland.
Three judges - an architect, interior designer and a style blogger - talk about each house and give them marks out of 10. A winner from each area will feature on the final show on May 29.
"Filming took place in August," said Lori. "I was filmed for two hours in my home for a two minute segment then asked to leave for the rest of the day while the judges were filmed for six hours for seven minutes on air!
"I knew within a couple of weeks that my house had not been selected for the final because the finalists were invited to Glasgow for filming of the final episode when the award would be given, and I was not one of them. However, having my house chosen as one of 21 beautiful homes to be on the show was very flattering."
