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HOME OF THE YEAR

Home of the Year - Series 2 Image Name: Home of the Year - Series 2 Description: Home of the Year - Series 2 RTÉ One Episode 4 - Thursday March 24th Leslie and William Shannon Copyright: RTÉ 2016
Home of the Year - Series 2 Image Name: Home of the Year - Series 2 Description: Home of the Year - Series 2 RTÉ One Episode 4 - Thursday March 24th Denise and Stephen Walsh Copyright: RTÉ 2016
Home of the Year - Series 2 Image Name: Home of the Year - Series 2 Description: Home of the Year - Series 2 RTÉ One Episode 4 - Thursday March 24th Siobhan O' Connell Copyright: RTÉ 2016
Home of the Year - Series 2 Image Name: Home of the Year - Series 2 Description: Home of the Year - Series 2 RTÉ One Episode 2 - Thursday March 10th Judges: Hugh Wallace, Deirdre Whelan and Declan O' Donnell Copyright: RTÉ 2016. Photo Credit: Lili Forberg
Home of the Year - Series 2 Image Name: Home of the Year - Series 2 Description: Home of the Year - Series 2 RTÉ One Episode 1 - Thursday March 3rd 2016 Judges: Hugh Wallace, Deirdre Whelan and Declan O' Donnell Copyright: RTÉ 2016. Photo Credit: Lili Forberg

 

Home of the Year – Thursday March 24th RTÉ One

 

Over eight weeks, 21 homes will compete for the Home of the Year title, with three very different and unique properties featured each week.

From unusual conversions to architectural gems and countryside retreats, Home of the Year features people who have built their dream home, just the way they want it. The series will showcase homes from all across Ireland including a converted workshop, a modernist inspired new build, a barn turned dream home, and a radically transformed Dublin terrace to name just a few.

Making the tough decisions on which homes go through to the final are our three expert judges; design legend Hugh Wallace, acclaimed architect Declan O’Donnell and award winning interior designer Deirdre Whelan.

Looking for individuality, functionality and clever design, the judges will individually score each of the homes out of 10, the home with the highest combined score in each programme will go through to the final, where the ultimate winner will be crowned.

Programme 4 of 8

This week the judges take a look at three very different homes, a renovated redbrick townhouse, a modernist inspired architectural family home in Tipperary, and a traditional thatched house with a very modern extension in County Antrim.

Denise and Stephen Walsh live in their modernist inspired home in County Tipperary with their two children Bess and Lily. Denise is a bespoke furniture designer and owns and runs her own company ‘Donovan Walsh Design’ (www.donovanwalshdesign.com) Stephen works in IT. Their home won the RIAI’s best house award in 2015.

After renting a top floor apartment in a Georgian townhouse for a number of years, with two children and no outdoor space, Denise and Stephen longed for space and modern living. Both fans of modernist architecture, they set about building their modernist inspired family home on a site in County Tipperary. With floor to ceiling glass and a 4 metre cantilever overhanging the outdoor decking area, the home is a contemporary build which is nestled into the surrounding landscape.

Siobhan O’Connell runs a design studio (http://prospectarchitects.ie) specialising in creating unique interior and exterior landscapes. She lives in the red brick townhouse she has renovated in various stages over the course of a number of years.

When Siobhan bought the house it was in need of restoration, she extended the house creating a bright open plan kitchen and dining area with two outdoor landscaped courtyards. Siobhan’s favourite spot is in her library where she loves to sit back and relax and which acts as the link between the old part of the house and the new. Her house is filled with eclectic pieces she has made, bought or collected on her travels and throughout her life, including a larger than life rhinos head sculpture, many salvaged pieces, and the works of local artists and craftsmen.

Retired couple William and Leslie Shannon live in their traditional thatched home in County Antrim. They recently added an oak framed, glass filled, modern extension designed by their architect daughter Aishling Shannon Rusk –(www.aislingshannonrusk.wordpress.com)

William and Leslie Shannon have lived in their thatched home for over 30 years. Over the the course of that time they have renovated it three times and raised their three children there. The newest evolution of their home is an oak framed, glass extension which is sympathetically attached to the original thatched cottage at the rear of the home and was designed by their architect daughter Aishling Shannon Rusk.

JUDGES BIOGS

Hugh Wallace MRIAI, MIDI

Company: http://douglaswallace.com

Interior Designer and Architect Hugh Wallace has over 30 years’ experience in the interior design industry, and is world renowned for his insight and knowledge as a leader in design. In 2014 he received a life time achievement for this contribution to the Design Industry in Ireland.

Graduating in architecture from Dublin’s Trinity College in 1980, he immediately set up in practice with his then business partner Alan Douglas, a conservation architect. In his own words, “at that time there was no architectural work, only interior design,” so he focused on interiors and soon became the go to man for luxurious design in Ireland.

Working at the highest end of residential design in Ireland and aboard, Hugh also works with word renowned brands to create prestigious and glamorous design for exacting clients. His clients include Brown Thomas, The G Hotel, Ritz-Carlton, Dunnes Stores, Peter Mark, Harrods and Espa International. Hugh is now working on a number of residential projects in Dubai and Oman while continuing with hotel and residential projects in Ireland.

To Hugh, design is about creating a unique environment where people’s imagination can take flight. The design he creates is about inspiration, desire and creating a place that people are happy in and enjoy as a result.

 

Deirdre Whelan

Company – http://deirdrewhelandesign.com

Deirdre Whelan is an award winning Interior Designer based in Dublin.

Deirdre has over 25 years’ experience in the interior design industry in both residential and commercial projects.

Having established her own private practise in 1996 she has since collaborated as lead interior designer with a selection of highly respected architectural firms on high end projects including the Clarion Hotel Dublin and Cork, Dublin’s Gibson Hotel, several of Dublin’s best known restaurants and most recently the Marker Hotel in Dublin.

Declan O’Donnell

Company – http://www.odkmarchitects.com

Declan O’Donnell is a highly respected award winning architect based in Dublin.

Declan studied architecture at Queen’s University Belfast and the Mackintosh School of architecture in Glasgow. On completion of his Postgraduate Degree he was invited to join the international architecture firm, Foster + Partners in London. During his time there he took a lead role in the design of some of the most significant and challenging projects across the globe at the very cutting edge of contemporary architecture.

In 2008 he returned to Dublin to setup ODKM Architects, who have developed a reputation for delivering bespoke eye-catching architecture, and with an impressive selection of residential projects already completed, he has quickly established himself as an Architect with a difference.