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Scottish Outlander

A Lifestyle Blog from Lindsay McWilliams

16 December, 2015

Snorkelling in Lanzarote with David Swimwear*

16 December, 2015

While on our winter holiday in Lanzarote we decided to buy some snorkelling gear and venture into the sea. I had my new bikini from David Swimwear to try out and John was excited to test the underwater camera I had bought him for his birthday.

We found a beautiful bay about 20 minutes’ walk from our hotel, made sure our things weren’t going to get swept away by the tide and dipped our toes in the clear blue water.

Snorkelling Cove, Lanzarote

Snorkelling Cove and Windmill, Lanzarote

It was freezing! Tentatively venturing further we could see fish swimming past our feet and as we moved deeper into the water the fish got bigger and distracted us from the temperature of the water.

Snorkelling in Lanzarote

There were so many different types of fish and they certainly weren’t shy. People were feeding them in the shallows and huge shoals circled us to see if we had anything for them.

Snorkelling in Lanzarote

Snorkelling in Lanzarote

We swam around the rocks getting up close and personal with the sea life and even spotted a star fish!

Starfish, Lanzarote

And what about my new bikini? I was really pleased with the comfort and fit it provided and it looks great. It stayed on without any problems and didn’t hug my curves too tightly, perfect when you’re doing your best breast stroke trying to catch up with a particularly pretty fish!

David Swimwear Bikini

The bright pattern of the bikini is eye catching too, ideal when your snorkelling buddy is trying to find you in a sea of other swimmers.

David Swimwear Bikini

The gem details add to the luxury feel and it’s obvious from the quality of the material that this bikini is a piece of high fashion beachwear. It was a real treat to wear something so lavish!

David Swimwear Bikini Gem Detailing

David Swimwear Bikini Bottoms

I was hoping I would feel confident enough to share a photo of myself in the bikini but here’s a photo of it on a stunning model instead! I was also given a beautiful Iconique cover-up in blue to complete my beach look. The image on the right is the same style and it’s plain to see that Iconique pieces are inspired by the Mediterranean coast and are designed to be easy to wear.

David Swimwear Bikini and Iconique Cover-up

The David Swimwear collection for 2016 features more bold prints inspired by Italian design and focused on comfort.

David Swimwear

David Swimwear

Patricia Eve is the UK distributor for David Swimwear so if you would like to see more from the new range you can visit www.patricia-eve.co.uk.

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 2 Comments
Filed Under: Adventures, Travel

13 December, 2015

Lanzarote South Tour – Timanfaya National Park

13 December, 2015

In November John turned 30 and we decided to celebrate by spending a week in the sun. We chose Lanzarote as John had visited before and really liked the island. We decided to stay at the same hotel he had stayed at previously, Santa Rosa Apartments in Costa Teguise and flew from Newcastle. After a few days of relaxing and trying to acclimatize (I am useless in the heat!) it was time to explore.

For our first excursion we chose to go on the Short South Island tour, mainly because I got a little over excited at the prospect of riding a camel…

The tour took us to Timanfaya National Park in the southwestern part of Lanzarote where we saw the stunning scenery created by eruptions in the 18th century. Brimming with different colours and textures the lava fields look unearthly and photos of the area where apparently shown to Nasa astronauts to prepare them for what the moon would look like.

Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote

Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote

Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote

To demonstrate how hot it is below the surface of Montañas del Fuego we were shows geothermal experiments.

Geothermal Experiments, Timanfaya National Park

Geothermal Experiments, Timanfaya National Park

At the restaurant in the heart of the Fire Mountains they even cook the food with the natural heat from under the ground.

Cooking on a Volcano, Timanfaya National Park

Next we were taken to the base of Fire Mountain where the camels were waiting.

Camels, Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote

We took our seats on either side of our camels hump and up it got. The camels were all connected and in convoy took us round a track on the side of the mountain.

Camel Rides, Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote

Camel Rides, Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote

Camel, Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote

The last stop on our tour was a traditional vineyard where we tasted some very sweet wine.

Traditional Vineyard, Lanzarote

Traditional Vineyard, Lanzarote

The vines are grown in sunken pits surrounded by semi circular walls built with volcanic stones. This protects the vines and means that around 2 million litres of wine are produced each year.

Traditional Vineyard, Lanzarote

Traditional Vineyard, Lanzarote

The Lanzarote Short South Tour is run by Last Minute Travel and is €20 per person. It runs Monday-Thursday and if you’re visiting Lanzarote I really recommend it.

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Adventures, Travel

3 November, 2015

The Really Useful Chocolate Teapot

3 November, 2015

How useful is a chocolate teapot? Recently I was given the opportunity to find out by reviewing the Schokolat Chocolate Teapot. As a chocoholic I was pretty pleased and the answer? It’s more useful than you might have thought!

Schokolat Chocolate Teapot and Saucers

The teapot is hand-made in the UK and is made with real Belgian chocolate. It’s much heavier than it looks and would make the perfect gift for family or friends with a sweet tooth.

We decided to use ours to make hot chocolate but you can also use it for fondue by adding hot water and dipping marshmallows, strawberries or anything else you fancy into the teapot and topping it up with more hot water whenever the chocolate starts to run out.

Schokolat Chocolate Teapot

To make our hot chocolates we put two teaspoons of organic cocoa powder into the teapot then filled it two thirds full with water and stirred. Holding the lid John poured the thick chocolate drink into our teacups and we savoured the rich flavours.

Pouring Hot Chocolate from the Schokolat Chocolate Teapot

Then we couldn’t resist taking a bite.. You can refill the teapot as many times as you like and once you’re finished you can break it up and eat it or do what we’ve done and store it in the fridge for whenever you fancy a nibble!

Bitten Schokolat Chocolate Teapot

The chocolate teapot is available to buy here and maybe the next time you hear the phrase “as useful as a chocolate teapot” it will remind you that sometimes they really can be. However I wouldn’t recommend using one to make a cup of tea.

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 8 Comments
Filed Under: Gifts, Home & Style Tagged: Gifts

22 October, 2015

#Bloggerlodge at Travelodge Gateshead Hotel

22 October, 2015

The North East is one of our favourite places so when we were given the opportunity to spend two nights in a hotel near the Metrocentre in Gateshead we jumped at the chance.

After work on Friday we made the relatively short trip over to Gateshead. We were staying at Travelodge Gateshead Hotel just 3.1 miles from Newcastle City Center. The hotel is just off the A1 and is pretty easy to get to. When we arrived we were given some tips on where to eat before heading up to our room to get settled in.

The room was a good size, nice and clean and had everything we needed. Stomachs rumbling we headed out in search of somewhere nice to eat. The lady who had welcomed us had recommended the pub next door for tasty homemade food so we decided to give it a go.

Travelodge Gateshead Hotel

The Skiff Inn is a typical local pub with a wide range of dishes on offer and friendly, attentive staff. The Skiff is named after the boat Harry Clasper, a professional rower from Tyneside, used to race and is decorated with nautical items including a rowing boat that hangs from the ceiling.

The Skiff Inn, Gateshead

For our starter we chose to share a portion of calamari and we were so glad we only ordered one as there was more than enough for both of us. It was crispy, tasty and came with a spicy tomato dip.

Calamari at The Skiff Inn, Gateshead

For our main courses I opted for a garlic chicken pizza and John chose a chicken burger.

Chicken Burger at The Skiff Inn, Gateshead

My pizza was huge and very tasty and John really enjoyed his burger although wasn’t that impressed with the chips.

Chicken Kiev Pizza at The Skiff Inn, Gateshead

Feeling pretty full we headed back to the hotel to relax.

The hotel doesn’t have a restaurant so in the morning we got ready and headed to the Metrocentre to get something to eat before getting the train into Newcastle.

The area around the hotel is mainly retail park so there are lots of busy roads but there is a path by the river that takes you directly to the Metrocentre. It takes about 20-25 minutes and delivers you to the transport interchange.

We decided to get something cheap and cheerful for breakfast so popped into Wetherspoons. John had his typical full English while I had a bagel with salmon and cream cheese.

Full English Breakfast at Wetherspoons, Metrocentre

Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagel at Wetherspoons, Metrocentre

Fenwicks had just opened a Christmas pop up shop so we had a look around and even bought our first Christmas present. After a quick look around the Metrocentre we caught the train to Newcastle City Center and spent the next few hours shopping, something we don’t usually do and aren’t very good at! (We mainly played with toys and looked at tents!)

Before long we were ready for a bit of refreshment. I had wanted to show John The Botanist for a while so I thought we could pop in for a cocktail but it was absolutely packed.

Instead we decided to go for a drink and a snack at dAt bAr on Market Street. dAt bAr is popular for it’s urban style, craft beers and tasty food and I love the relaxed atmosphere.

dAt bAr, Market Street, Newcastle

dAt bAr, Market Street, Newcastle

dAt bAr, Market Street, Newcastle

dAt bAr, Market Street, Newcastle

We ordered some shoestring fries and sourdough bread with french butter, mainly because I couldn’t remember having ever tasted sourdough bread and we weren’t that hungry.

Sourdough Bread at dAt bAr, Market Street, Newcastle

Shoestring Fries at dAt bAr, Market Street, Newcastle

The shoestring fries were amazing. Honestly. And the sourdough bread was very tasty. Next time we visit we’ll be sure to bring our appetites and sample some more of the menu.

All shopped out we got the train back to the Metrocentre and made a beeline for somewhere a bit more exiting than the shops… Namco Funscape! We played a few games, won plenty of tickets and got way too excited when we discovered we could trade them in for a prize. (We chose a minion slinky and three maoam bars, easy pleased!)

Namco Funscape, Metrocentre

No trip to Gateshead is complete without a trip to everyone’s favourite Swedish furniture shop, IKEA where we picked up some bits and bobs before heading back to the Metrocentre in search of some dinner. There are over 50 restaurants and you’re sure to find one of your favourite chains. We found one of ours, Nandos, and treated ourselves to some Afro-Portuguese chicken.

On Sunday morning we had a bit of a lie in (check out isn’t till 12 so you’re free to make the most of that king sized bed) before grabbing some breakfast at Frankie & Benny’s just around the corner from the hotel. Breakfast is served till 12 but the food was very slow to come out.

Typically John had another full English and I decided to try the eggs royale which was a toaster muffin, two poached eggs and slices of smoked salmon topped with hollandaise sauce and chopped chives.

Full English Breakfast at Frankie & Benny's, Gateshead

Eggs Royale at Frankie & Benny's, Gateshead

The eggs royale was lovely but very rich, especially after such a food filled couple of days!

We had a lovely weekend thanks to Travelodge although I’m not sure my waistline will be as appreciative!

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 5 Comments
Filed Under: Adventures, North East Tagged: England, Gateshead, Newcastle, North East, North East England

5 October, 2015

My Style Icon with Boohoo – Jessica Alba*

5 October, 2015

When boohoo.com asked me to choose my celebrity style icon I knew instantly who I would pick. Jessica Alba has been one of my favourite actresses since I first saw her in James Cameron’s Dark Angel and her effortless and classic sense of style means she often appears on the pages of magazines and acts as inspiration for fashion conscious women worldwide.

After scrolling through hundreds of images I found the perfect look to steal for Autumn/Winter with the help of Boohoo.

A photo posted by Jessica Alba (@jessicaalba) on Jan 12, 2015 at 11:52am PST

My weekend style is fairly laid back and I wanted a look that I could wear whether I’m heading out for lunch or traipsing around a DIY superstore (something we’ve been doing a lot recently!) so this outfit Jessica Alba wore for a day in the office really appealed to me.

To recreate the look I chose the Yazmeen Belted Mac, the simple white Alice Swing Vest, high waisted jeans from Oasis (old season), crocodile print Olivia Zip Side Skater shoes, the Melissa Winged Bag from Accessorize (old season) and a Maria Bar and Coin Layered Necklace to complete the look.

The Yazmeen Belted Mac is a bargain at just £25 and looks great with jeans and a simple white top like the Alice Swing Vest. The Alice Vest is light and hangs beautifully hiding any lumps and bumps, plus it’s only £5. I think I’ll be investing in a couple of other colours for my holiday!

My Style Icon with Boohoo - Jessica Alba - Yazmeen Belted Mac, Alice Swing Vest, Olivia Zip Side Skater and Maria Bar and Coin Layered Necklace

My Style Icon with Boohoo - Jessica Alba - Yazmeen Belted Mac,  Boohoo

I’ve written about the Melissa Winged Bag from Accessorize before but unfortunately it seems to have been discontinued. Although not as bold as Jessica Alba’s bag I think it works well with the outfit.

My Style Icon with Boohoo - Jessica Alba 2

The Olivia Zip Side Skater shoes are just £15 and I love the zip detailing and subtle crocodile print.

My Style Icon with Boohoo - Jessica Alba - Olivia Zip Side Skater,  Boohoo

Since Jessica Alba tends to layer necklaces I opted for the Maria Bar and Coin Layered Necklace to finish off my celebrity style icon challenge.

My Style Icon with Boohoo - Jessica Alba - Maria Bar and Coin Layered Necklace,  Boohoo

I really enjoyed taking part in this challenge and I think it’s only increased my admiration for Jessica Alba. Thanks to boohoo.com for making it possible and to my amazing boyfriend John for playing fashion photographer.

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 2 Comments
Filed Under: Home & Style, Style Tagged: Fashion, Style

3 October, 2015

The Alnwick Garden and Treehouse‏

3 October, 2015

To celebrate our first anniversary John and I decided to go back to one of our favourite places, Northumberland. Northumberland has a special place in our hearts as we’ve visited it throughout our relationship and we can’t get enough of the white sandy beaches, fishing villages and outstanding scenery. Having camped around the Bamburgh area on our last few trips we decided to try something a little different and explore in land. We booked a stay at Clennell Hall Hotel on the edge of Northumberland National Park but decided to stop off in Alnwick first for a long overdue visit to The Alnwick Garden.

We had both visited The Alnwick Garden years before so we were excited to see what was new. Tickets for the garden are £12.10 per adult which is quite pricey but there is plenty to see and do. The Treehouse was closing early for a function so we headed there first.

The Treehouse is one of the largest in Europe and we loved bouncing around on the rope bridges and exploring the wooden structure. As well as the restaurant there is now a bar called The Potting Shed which serves cocktails and light bites. We had already eaten but it looked well worth a visit.

The Alnwick Garden Treehouse

The Alnwick Garden Treehouse

The Alnwick Garden Treehouse

Rope Bridges, The Alnwick Garden Treehouse

Jumping on the Rope Bridge, The Alnwick Garden Treehouse

Jumping on the Rope Bridge, The Alnwick Garden Treehouse

The Alnwick Garden Treehouse

The Alnwick Garden Treehouse

The view that greeted us as we entered the garden certainly hadn’t changed. The fountain, the Grand Cascade, is an impressive center piece and mini tractors line the base of the water feature for kids to play on.

The Alnwick Garden Grand Cascade

Armed with a map we were determined to explore every part of the gardens and started with the labyrinth. Lined with bamboo it twists and turns until you reach the center stone.

Bamboo Labyrinth, The Alnwick Garden

We wandered around the rose garden then got a little bit damp in the serpent garden! The serpent garden is full of interactive water features and I just couldn’t help myself..

Serpent Garden Water Feature, The Alnwick Gardens

… I got soaked all down my back!

The ornamental garden sits at the top of the Grand Cascade inside 16th century Venetian gates and is filled with one of the countries largest collections of European plants.

Ornamental Garden, The Alnwick Garden

We also took a tour of the Poison Garden and discovered that our garden houses quite a few plants we didn’t know were poisonous! We really enjoyed the tour which was very interesting but if you decide to go on it remember to heed the warning..

Poison Garden, The Alnwick Garden

After stocking up on snacks and wine we headed off to find our hotel. Clennell Hall Hotel is in a remote location near Alwinton at the foot of the Cheviot Hills, 18 miles west of Alnwick. The historic manor house and it’s grounds are beautiful but the hotel itself is a little faulty towers. We had the oldest room in the house which was pleasant enough, breakfast was nice and we spotted a red squirrel which really made our day.

Clennell Hall Hotel Northumberland

By happy coincidence my Mum was also in Northumberland for the weekend so we made plans to meet her for lunch on Sunday. We had a couple of hours free beforehand and the sun was shining so we couldn’t think of anything better than to head to Bamburgh for a walk on the beach.

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland

We always seem to be drawn to Bamburgh and it’s beautiful stretch of coastline. I’m not sure how anyone could visit the Northumberland coast and not fall in love with it.

We rounded off our trip with lunch and a walk by the river in Warkworth with Mum before dropping her off at the train station and heading home.

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 8 Comments
Filed Under: Adventures, England, North East Tagged: England, North East, North East England, Northumberland

17 September, 2015

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

17 September, 2015

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is a music festival just five minutes from my parents home near Beauly in Inverness-shire. Since one of my favourite bands, The Proclaimers, were headlining we decided this summer was the perfect time to see what the “friendliest, wackiest, most inclusive festival in Scotland” had to offer.

John had never been to a festival before so didn’t know what to expect and our first impressions weren’t what I wanted his to be! The five minute journey from my parents took an hour and then we had to queue for over two hours for our bags to be checked and to collect our wrist bands. This year was the first the festival ran over three days and in past years campers were granted access a day early to ease congestion. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case this year and everyone arrived at once causing long delays and the first few bands to play to empty arenas. When we eventually got in we pitched up (with some help from a very nice soldier who was collecting for the Royal Legion), made ourselves some chicken burgers then headed out to explore the festival.

Main Stage, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Main Stage, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Main Bar, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Hammocks at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

The festival itself is very artsy and there was an installation around every corner.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival Umbrella Installation

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival Elephant Installation

Everywhere you looked there was something different going on. You could try your hand at trapeze, circus skills, a myriad of dance styles, yoga, meditation and more or sit back and enjoy some live music, poetry, comedy or even an aerial stunt show.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival Dancers

Viking Parkour at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

It turns out circus skills aren’t my forte..

Circus Skills at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Performing artists roamed the arena with a metal unicorn and a highland cow whose rear end you needed to keep away from if you wanted to stay dry!

Metal Unicorn, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

The lineup was varied and really did have something for everyone. Our favourite area was the Walled Garden which housed The Burk and Hair stage, a crazy steam punk bar where we watched a man DJ using two gramophones and another sing some pretty hilarious songs about celebrities.

The Burk and Hair Stage, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

The Burk and Hair Stage, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

The Burk and Hair Dancers, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Music wise we had three priorities to see over the course of the festival and none of them disappointed. KLOË, an 18 year old artist from Glasgow had amazing stage presence, Honeyblood, a musical duo also from Glasgow were album perfect and The Proclaimers were every bit as good as I had hoped.

To get a taste of what was on offer you can listen to the Belladrum 2015 playlist below.

There was a fantastic selection of food available and I enjoyed some mussels in white wine sauce from the Loch Fyne tent and a stone baked pizza which was the perfect way to sober up. The bar operated a token system which made it pretty quick to get a drink. We bought our tokens during the day when the queue was small and spent most of them at the main bar.

Loch Fyne Mussels, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Having been to a couple of festivals one of the real pluses for me was that the toilets in the arena were cleaned continuously over the weekend. If you’ve been to a big festival you might empathize although if you’re planning to camp in the main site it might be a good idea to invest in tickets for the posh loos! For us camping in the main camp site turned out to be a little ambitious. The place was full of teenagers who had no intention of letting anyone get a wink of sleep and one who decided to use our BBQ as a football so after one night we accepted my parents offer of a comfy bed and some peace and quiet. In hindsight we should have opted for the family area but I was determined we were still too young for that!

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival Main Campsite

We loved the chilled out atmosphere, beautiful setting and variety at Bella and will be back although next time I think we’ll leave the tent at home..

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 6 Comments
Filed Under: Adventures, Scotland Tagged: Scotland, Scottish Highlands

20 August, 2015

Guest Bedroom Inspiration

20 August, 2015

The renovation of our new house is well under way and we move in at the weekend! I’ve mentioned the work we’re doing in a previous post and although there is still a lot of DIY to be getting on with it’s time to start thinking about how we want the individual rooms to look. We’re moving from a two bedroom flat to a three bedroom house and in the near future both sets of parents will be living over the border in Scotland so will need a place to stay when they come to visit. That means we’ve got a whole bedroom to furnish so I’ve been gathering some inspiration.

Guest Bedroom Inspiration

I’ve always liked the idea of having a fabric bed as I think they look fantastic and add a bit of warmth to a room. A fabric ottoman bed would be perfect as it would provide loads of storage space and achieve the high end look I’m after. To compliment this I would love some grey floor length curtains in a similar shade to tie everything together. I’ll definitely be asking John to put up curtain poles as I think they look much better than plastic rails.

Quality is key when looking for the perfect bedroom furniture and I think it pays to invest in pieces your likely to keep for years to come. Websites, such as bedstar, offer various possibilities and are a great place to start your search. Style wise I like to keep it clean and simple which I don’t think will ever go out of fashion. I’ll be choosing a white wardrobe and matching bedside tables to reflect the light and make the room nice and bright. This is especially important as it will probably be the smaller of the two spare bedrooms that we’ll be furnishing from scratch.

Adding accessories will make the room feel more homely and add some interest. I love the idea of putting the wi-fi code in a frame on the guest’s bedside table. It means they don’t have to feel awkward about asking for it and you don’t have to read it out from underneath your router every time someone comes to stay. Antique brass frames are on trend and you could easily swap their content for photos that include your guests if everyone visiting already knew the code. I would also love a world scratch map. I bought one for a close friend and really like the way it acts as a piece of art and a reminder of all the wonderful places you have travelled. I would like to display one in the guest room, I can imagine it being a fantastic conversation starter!

Lighting is really important and I would like something a little bit different. I usually play it safe with a neutral lamp shade but I think an unusual fitting would give the room a little extra and create some interesting shapes. A simple bedside lamp would give guests another option if they prefer more muted lighting.

We’ve already got furniture for our other two bedrooms so it’s exciting to be able to style a whole room and imagine what it might look like. Hopefully we’ll have three functioning bedrooms by the end of the year!

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 2 Comments
Filed Under: Home, Home & Style Tagged: Home, Interiors

21 July, 2015

Aira Force Waterfall Walk

21 July, 2015

Aira Force is a 65ft waterfall in the tranquil Ullswater valley. I had heard how beautiful it was so on a recent camping trip to Pooley Bridge John and I decided to make the most of the warm weather and visit the National Trust site.

The first thing that struck us was the cost of parking which is a little dear at £5 for a couple of hours. If you’re a frequent visitor to National Trust sites it would be worth paying for a membership as parking is included. Although parking is a bit pricey it’s obvious the National Trust do a lot of work to maintain the surrounding woodland paths and preserve the area so the money is supporting a good cause. Plus it means there are toilets, a shop and a cafe on site.

The walk to the waterfall is circular and we chose to go left which turned out to be the easy option. The path is a gradual incline and avoids the 105 steps you would need to take if you chose the other option and went right.

There is plenty to see in the ancient woodland surrounding the waterfall including a fallen tree with pennies pushed into it, a tradition which has seen the tree become known as the money tree.

Penny Tree, Aira Force

Penny Tree,  Aira Force

Woodland, Aira Force

Bridge, Aira Force

The path leads up to the stone bridge at the crest of the waterfall but just before you reach the top you can stop to enjoy a beautiful view of Ullswater.

View of Ullswater from Aira Force

The whole walk takes around an hour and the waterfall itself is pretty spectacular.

Aira Force Waterfall

Aira Force Waterfall

Aira Force Waterfall

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 6 Comments
Filed Under: Adventures, Cumbria, England Tagged: Cumbria, Lake District

8 July, 2015

Buying Our Very First House*

8 July, 2015

Our mortgage has been confirmed and in less than a month we will officially be home owners!

You know when people say buying a house is one of the most stressful things you can do? They aren’t lying! There are so many things to consider and for first time buyers it’s a steep learning curve. We did some research, asked around and decided to get someone to do it all for us! We opted for a mortgage adviser who came highly recommended and did everything from finding the best deal to figuring out what was going on when there was a hold up.

Fortunately we weren’t buying and selling as doing both must take stress levels to the next level. In our case the sellers (John’s parents!) had already had their offer for their new property accepted so time scales were our main concern. If we had struggled to get the mortgage in place in time the sellers could have used a bridging loan to make sure they didn’t lose their dream home and reduce stress levels. The Bridging Loan Center offers alternative short-term funding solutions until a longer-term option becomes available. The rate is usually around 1% and you can pay the loan off before the specified time without any penalties. Normally these loans are used to buy a new property before the existing one is sold but you can use them for a range of other purposes like funding a buy-to-let investment, as short term working capital for a business or to pay unexpected bills.

Now we know we’re going to buy the house we’ve started to make a list of all the things we would like to do to make the house feel like our home:

  • Remove wood chip from the ceilings – I don’t know who came up with it or why but wallpaper with wood chip in it is old fashioned and apparently it’s a nightmare to remove. Unfortunately it’s on most of our ceilings!
  • Strip the walls, skim them and paint them – I’m not a fan of wallpaper so we’ll be stripping it off then having the walls skimmed to make sure they are nice and flat. We’ve been looking at paint samples but haven’t decided on a colour scheme quite yet. I’ve been scouring Pinterest for inspiration and I’ve found some beautiful combinations.

Colour Palette
Top left, top right and bottom left: Design Seeds, bottom right: In Colour Balance all via Pinterest.

  • Replace the carpets – I know it’s not practical but I want to replace the dark carpets with lighter ones to brighten the place up.
  • Fit a new shower – The water pressure of the current electric shower is pretty poor so we want to plumb the shower directly into the boiler.

Here’s a little bit of an insight into the kind of style I would love to go for although John is worried I’ll make the house look too cold so I’m sure I’ll have to learn to compromise!

New Home Style Guide
Top left: My Scandinavian Home, top right: A Design Ed Factory, bottom left: Stylizimo, bottom right: Remodelista all via Pinterest.

We’re so excited to have a home of our own and can’t wait to get started!

Posted by Lindsay McWilliams 12 Comments
Filed Under: Home, Home & Style Tagged: Home, Interiors

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Lindsay McWilliams
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Hello, I'm Lindsay! I'm a 27 year old Scottish outlander living in the beautiful county of Cumbria and recording my adventures in Scotland, England and beyond. Click here if you'd like to know more.

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