Scotland


<p>It&#8217;s quite possible that Banjo Beale is our favourite New Scot, closely followed by his husband, Ro. Winner of BBC 1&#8217;s <em>Interior Design Masters</em> in 2022 and presenter of <em>Scotland’s Home of the Year</em>, Banjo&#8217;s latest exploits renovating a derelict hotel on the Hebridean island of Ulva for his latest programme <em>Banjo and Ro&#8217;s Grand Island Hotel</em> have been exactly the kind of cosy telly we love when it&#8217;s dreich out. With the hotel about to open for the season, Muddy caught up with him to find out how it&#8217;s been and what&#8217;s next – and to pick his interior design brains for tips.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546147.jpg" alt="Banjo and Ro Beale" class="wp-image-3144" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546147.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546147-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546147-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546147-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photograph: Shelley Richmond/Hello Halo/BBC Scotland</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-past-year-been-like-for-you-on-the-tv-version-of-your-reno-you-seem-to-keep-relatively-upbeat-but-were-there-any-moments-that-nearly-broke-you">What’s the past year been like for you? On the TV version of your reno you seem to keep relatively upbeat but were there any moments that nearly broke you?</h3>



<p>It’s been full throttle. Beautiful and brutal in equal measure. Renovating <a href="http://ulvahouse.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Grand Island Hotel</a> in the Hebrides is not for the faint hearted. Weather delays, boats not running, materials stranded on the mainland, budgets doing that slow, ominous creep. Add to that a camera crew in your face and working with your partner and you have a colourful situation. And colourful language.&nbsp;</p>



<p>There were moments, usually at about 2am, when I thought ‘what have I actually taken on here?’ When something structural would unravel or a delivery just wouldn’t arrive and you realise there’s no B&amp;Q down the road. But you can’t wallow. You stand on the shoreline, take a breath, and remember why you chose to do this in the first place. The landscape sorts your head out quite quickly.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-you-stay-optimistic">How do you stay optimistic?</h3>



<p>Perspective. I’ve gutted fish at 4am in horizontal rain. I’ve burnt pastries and started again. I’ve lived in cities where you’re just another face in the crowd. So, when a renovation throws a tantrum, I know it’s temporary.</p>



<p>Also, I genuinely love problem solving. When something goes wrong my brain lights up. It’s creative tension. And we laugh a lot. You have to.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1125" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546124.jpg" alt="Ro Beale" class="wp-image-3149" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546124.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546124-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546124-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546124-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photograph: Shelley Richmond/Hello Halo/BBC Scotland</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ro-we-learn-so-much-about-you-in-this-programme-you-were-a-pastry-chef-you-were-a-fisherman-you-make-cheese-is-there-anything-you-can-t-do-what-have-you-not-done-that-you-d-like-to-turn-your-hand-to-next">Ro – we learn so much about you in this programme. You were a pastry chef. You were a fisherman. You make cheese. Is there anything you can’t do?! What have you not done that you’d like to turn your hand to next?</h3>



<p>I can’t sit still. That’s one thing. I’ve always followed curiosity rather than a straight line career. Food, fishing, pastry; they’re all about craft and patience. I’d love to design and build a small boat one day. Something traditional but with a slightly rebellious twist. And I have a quiet ambition to write properly.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546129.jpg" alt="Banjo Beale chandelier" class="wp-image-3148" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546129.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546129-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546129-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546129-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photograph: Shelley Richmond/Hello Halo/BBC Scotland</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-banjo-can-you-describe-your-style-in-three-words">Banjo, can you describe your style in three words?</h3>



<p>Timeless. Layered. Wild. I like rooms to feel as if they’ve evolved over time, not been ordered in one click.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-your-best-design-hack">What’s your best design hack?</h3>



<p>Lighting at different heights. A room with only ceiling lights is dead on arrival. Table lamps, wall lights, candles, low glows. It changes everything. And paint your ceilings – people forget the fifth wall.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-current-interior-trend-are-you-loving-right-now">What current interior trend are you loving right now?</h3>



<p>I love texture. It got a bad wrap in the 80s on our walls. I want my space to feel alive – limewash, plaster, chipped and faded paint.&nbsp; I’m also enjoying the return to pattern. Proper pattern. Chintz, florals, stripes, all mixed together without apology. It feels braver, more personal. Less beige fear.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546162-1.jpg" alt="Banjo and Ro and a sofa" class="wp-image-3146" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546162-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546162-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546162-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546162-1-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photograph: Shelley Richmond/Hello Halo/BBC Scotland</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-have-you-always-been-someone-who-s-spotted-treasure-or-did-you-discover-this-habit-later-in-life">Have you always been someone who’s spotted treasure or did you discover this habit later in life?</h3>



<p>While other kids went to sport on weekends I went to the dump with my dad to fish through rubbish. My mum was quite the opposite. A clean freak and no knick knacks. I think I rebelled. When you don’t have much money, you learn to look properly. To see potential. A battered chair is never just a battered chair. It’s a future heirloom with better lighting.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-advice-would-you-give-to-anyone-considering-their-own-reno">What advice would you give to anyone considering their own reno?</h3>



<p>Be realistic about time and money. Then add fifty percent to both.</p>



<p>And don’t renovate to impress other people. Renovate for how you actually live. If you hate open shelving because you’re messy, don’t install it because it’s trendy. Function first, romance layered on top.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-without-giving-away-any-trade-secrets-where-are-your-favourite-places-to-find-unique-pieces-for-the-home">Without giving away any trade secrets, where are your favourite places to find unique pieces for the home?</h3>



<p>Auction houses across Scotland are gold. Small rural ones especially. I love wandering around markets in places like Glasgow and just seeing what turns up.</p>



<p>And honestly, some of the best pieces have been found on islands, in barns, in sheds. You have to ask around. Talk to people. Scotland is full of hidden stories sitting under dust sheets.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-can-you-spot-what-s-beautiful-and-what-s-junk-have-you-got-any-tips">How can you spot what’s beautiful and what’s junk? Have you got any tips?</h3>



<p>Turn it over. Look underneath. Check the weight. Real timber feels different. Look at the joinery. Dovetails are your friend. And ignore bad paint jobs. Cosmetic horror can hide good bones.</p>



<p>Also, ask yourself if it makes you feel something. Beauty isn’t always pristine.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546208.jpg" alt="Banjo, Ro and a tractor" class="wp-image-3147" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546208.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546208-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546208-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546208-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photograph: Shelley Richmond/Hello Halo/BBC Scotland</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-allure-of-mull-ulva-and-the-hebrides-in-general-what-inspired-you-to-settle-there-after-all-your-travels">What’s the allure of Mull, Ulva and the Hebrides in general? What inspired you to settle there after all your travels?</h3>



<p>The light. It’s different here: Sharper, moodier, more theatrical. The weather moves like a stage set.</p>



<p>Isle of Mull and Ulva have this raw honesty. You can’t fake it here. The community is strong because it has to be. After years of travelling, I wanted roots in a place where the seasons matter, where food is caught or grown nearby. It feels elemental.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546131.jpg" alt="Banjo and Ro's Grand Island hotel" class="wp-image-3143" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546131.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546131-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546131-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/02/546131-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photograph: Shelley Richmond/Hello Halo/BBC Scotland</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-your-top-places-on-the-island-to-check-out-any-hidden-gems">What are your top places on the island to check out? Any hidden gems?</h3>



<p>Swim at <a href="https://www.isle-of-mull.net/locations/calgary/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Calgary Bay</a> even if it’s freezing. Wander the harbour in Tobermory early in the morning before anyone’s awake. Take a boat to Fingal’s Cave on Isle of Staffa with <a href="https://www.turusmara.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Turus Mara</a>. It feels mythical. Then have a picnic with the puffins on <a href="https://www.visitscotland.com/info/tours/lunga-treshnish-isles-9a37aa0b" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lunga</a>. Spend a quiet afternoon on <a href="http://www.welcometoiona.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Isle of Iona</a>. Drive along Loch Na Keal at sunset and just stop the car when it gets ridiculous. Hidden gem? Ask a local where they swim. They won’t tell you straight away. Earn it.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-else-in-scotland-do-you-love-to-visit-and-why">Where else in Scotland do you love to visit and why?</h3>



<p>The Cairngorms for scale and silence, the East Neuk of Fife for its fishing villages and soft light and the Highlands for when I need to feel small again.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-next-steps-for-the-hotel">What are the next steps for the hotel?</h3>



<p>We’re refining the experience now. It’s not just about beautiful rooms. It’s about workshops, food, craft, a sense that you’ve stepped into a living, breathing home rather than a transactional stay. More growing, more preserving, more storytelling.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-what-s-next-for-you-both">And what’s next for you both?</h3>



<p>More building. More creating. Possibly a little less sleep. But ultimately, it’s about deepening what we’ve started here. Making something that feels generous and rooted. And having a good time while we do it.</p>



<p><strong><em>Watch all episodes of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002pmzl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BANJO &amp; RO’S GRAND ISLAND HOTEL</a> on BBC iPlayer now</em></strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/film-tv/game-of-wool/">Muddy Meets: Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell from Channel Four’s The Game of Wool</a></li>



<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/wellbeing/muddy-meets-laura-muir/">Beat SAD, one step at a time… Muddy meets Olympic runner Laura Muir</a></li>



<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/flora-shedden/">What’s cooking? Flora Shedden, ARAN Bakery, Dunkeld</a></li>
</ul>


Muddy Meets: Banjo and Ro

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