![LAURA THOMAS](https://cdn.magzter.com/1352204072/1718729462/articles/LDDdDrtBz1720419291961/LAURA-THOMAS.jpg)
Laura Thomas can trace her connection to nature all the way back to her childhood in rural Perthshire. Growing up on a farm, life was busy and the working day was long. Laura would get on her horse and spend hours in the forest, just riding around, heading home only when she got hungry or when darkness fell. It was a different time; screens weren't really a thing for kids then, and her home life revolved around the outdoors. You could say that's where the idea of using nature in her working life first germinated.
Those early years of picking flower petals and smooshing them into a homemade perfume, smelling of pine after a day spent kicking about in the woods near the farm; it was here, even though she didn't yet know it, that Laura's affinity to scent, natural materials and the desire to be grounded to the earth took hold.
Fast forward to 2003, and she was in New Zealand, buying and selling cafes for a living. Laura adapted quickly to the Antipodean way of life. "The pace was definitely slower," she smiles. "It's the only place I've been where a lot of the kids walk to school barefoot." The beach, the early morning rises, the exposure to organic produce, a much greater awareness of environmental issues, a bigger commitment to sustainability and a huge focus on wellness: the New Zealand lifestyle really seeped into Laura's bones. When a colleague gave her a present of a vintage teacup filled with a candle, she had a revelation. "That was the moment I realised I wanted to run a product-based business," she explains. "I bought all the kit and started experimenting and playing around with wax, scents, wicks... I knew I wanted to make completely natural products, with nothing synthetic at all, and so I spent a long time doing as much research as I could."
This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Homes & Interiors Scotland.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Homes & Interiors Scotland.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![Escape BOATH HOUSE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/GVDpZyi_31720424738033/ESCAPE-BOATH-HOUSE.jpg)
Escape BOATH HOUSE
An inspirational Georgian manor house in the north-east offers sanctuary to artists, poets and the curious of spirit
![Escape THE LOOKOUT](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/M5xxd2v_F1720424290875/ESCAPE-THE-LOOKOUT.jpg)
Escape THE LOOKOUT
Sun-drenched interiors, right on the beach - it's hard to believe this is Scotland
!["It still feels like home. Just nicer"](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/1Vo6jqf0D1720423559356/IT-STILL-FEELS-LIKE-HOME-JUST-NICER.jpg)
"It still feels like home. Just nicer"
The owners of this house in Edinburgh didn't intend to give it a complete makeover, but once they started they just couldn't stop
![A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/WTy8Eyl7t1720422760008/A-SCOTTISH-LOVE-STORY.jpg)
A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY
You need passion to persevere through a lengthy restoration project. Thankfully for this rambling old lodge in Highland Perthshire, its new owners were already head over heels
![CLEAN AND POLISH](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/CI3S_djoI1720422175804/CLEAN-AND-POLISH.jpg)
CLEAN AND POLISH
Ten years in the making, this one-time dental surgery in Portobello has been reshaped as an elegant, practical family home
![MEET THE MAKER RACHEL MACLELLAN](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/y6b6CFD3I1720421878319/MEET-THE-MAKER-RACHEL-MACLELLAN.jpg)
MEET THE MAKER RACHEL MACLELLAN
You might think the process is purely creative, but designing knitted textiles requires a deep understanding of geometry and pattern calculations. It is intricate and often mathematical. I have learned that knitting demands a constant balance between artistry and engineering. Creating a new textile involves not only selecting colours and yarns but also considering the tensile strength, elasticity and drape of the material. That way, I ensure the final product is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. To me, this blend of creativity and technical precision is a fascinating aspect of knitted textile design.
![IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/cEdhKprIl1720421390475/IN-THE-KITCHEN-AT-PARTIES.jpg)
IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES
It's all in the details for this slick and multifunctional entertainment space
![JUST A HINT OF PINK](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/8TCbK2Qik1720420629054/JUST-A-HINT-OF-PINK.jpg)
JUST A HINT OF PINK
This family-orientated Georgian kitchen gets an upgrade in both footprint and finish
![BEHIND CLOSED DOORS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/CRAzpPtJL1720420056495/BEHIND-CLOSED-DOORS.jpg)
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Beauty and the best of Scotland on the shores of Loch Ness
![LAURA THOMAS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1775/1737188/LDDdDrtBz1720419291961/LAURA-THOMAS.jpg)
LAURA THOMAS
The environmentalist has become a very successful entrepreneur whose products are stocked by Scotland's best hotels