With two children under the age of three, a busy broadcasting career and a house move on the horizon, Cathy MacDonald is spinning an entire dinner set of plates in the air. Current commitments include hosting a live two-hour radio show for BBC Radio nan Gaidheal in Glasgow, featuring a mix of music and Gaelic chat, and presenting Radio Scotland's Medical Matters. As well as being on the committee of the Celtic Film and Television Festival and hosting the annual live coverage of the National Mod, Cathy is involved in various Gaelic television projects, through her company, Burach Productions. The broadcaster admits that on occasions, she finds herself in a bit of a burach (Gaelic for mess or muddle) at her home in Fife. It is nearly six years since Cathy met her husband, businessman, Johnny Crombie, at a mutual friend's dinner party, getting married four months later. Along with three-year-old
Olivia, baby Elliot and two tom cats, the family is planning to move to a tiny village in Perth and Kinross-shire.
What kind of property do you live in and how long have you been there?
For the past five years, we've lived in a detached Victorian villa, with a walled garden overlooking a golf course. I would say our style is minimalist but in a traditional way as we have kept all the classic features such as original fireplaces, dado rails, cornicing and relief work on the doors. We've gone for colonial style furniture, stripped pine floors, cowskin rugs, and lots of animal prints throughout the house, but in a quirky rather than tacky way, we hope.
What attracted you to it?
I've always wanted lots of space, my own front and back door, and somewhere peaceful and quiet, although not too quiet. There is remote and remote and the large garden is more than adequate. In a people orientated job, it is so good to come back to the sound of nothing at all.
What was your previous home?
Radically different in terms of location and space. It was a period apartment in Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, but no wide open spaces, alas. It would make a good pied a terre, that's if I could afford one, but living in the city was too noisy for me.
What is your idea of a good night in?
Eight or so best friends, including our neighbours, round for supper with home-cooking and plenty to drink. Roast beef from Crombie's the butcher in Edinburgh on a Sunday, Valvona and Crolla's chicken liver parfait, and deli dishes from Heart Buchanan which takes the pressure off the midweek cooking. Otherwise I tend to cobble together a variety of pasta dishes and homemade soups. We always eat in the dining room as it's less hassle than eating in the kitchen and then sit in the drawing room afterwards before getting the kids to bed by 9pm; well the youngest at least. As for music, we listen to a variety of Gaelic singers such as Flora MacNeil, Kathleen Macdonald and Capercaillie to Bowie, Coldplay, Del Amitri and Santana's current CD. Relaxing with family and friends is something we don't do often enough, but try to catch up once a month.
Have you made any alterations?
Olivia's nursery has been personalised for her by an artist friend, with storybook characters like Winnie the Pooh and Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, as well as real creatures.
Your next home project?
To sell this house at offers over (pounds) 265,000 and move further into the country.
Do you have a favourite room?
Now the kids are here, every room is the same, you might as well just remove the doors, but the morning room is our favourite. It is south facing, bright, sunny and full of bric-a-brac, sometimes mistaken for junk. I think the polished wooden floor and terracotta walls work well with the colonial style decor, and of course the animal prints and paintings; even the cats love it. We just chill listening to music or each other, all talking at the same time. Then there are the obligatory screenings of the Jungle Book DVD.
Have you treated your home to anything special lately?
I love original works of art and we buy what we like if we can afford it, and have quite an exciting collection, from Howson and George Devlin to Jack Vettriano, and several contemporary works. We tend to buy from the Leith Gallery and John Green Fine Art in Glasgow.
Do you have a favourite ornament ?
It has to be the dining room chairs bought at auction by my late father in Glasgow 50 years ago. Two are balloon backed and they are made from a dark wood, and are intricately carved.
To arrange a viewing of Cathy's house contact Drummond Miller, on 0131 229 3399.
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