Home of the Year – Thursday April 28th 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 8 of 8 – The Final
Having selected the seven finalists, the judges must now select the overall winner. The homeowners come together for the very first time in Balyna House in County Kildare, where the judges will deliberate and ultimately crown the winner of Home of the Year.
Meet the 7 finalists
Pat Davern is a teacher and lives in his radically renovated terraced home in North Dublin.
Pat had lived in his North Dublin home for several years before deciding to renovate. After discussing ideas with his architect, the two of them came up with something truly unique. Minimalist and modern and using unconventional materials, Pat’s one of a kind home has lots of unexpected features including a New York style loft bedroom, a floating bathroom with a glass roof and interior walls made of polycarbonate plastic!
Aoibheann MacNamara lives in converted workshop in the heart of Galway city with her son Oni. Aoibheann is a restaurateur (http://www.ardbia.com/) and fashion designer.
Aoibheann bought an old carpenters workshop in Galway city which dates back to the 1950s. The historical preservation of the building was something she was very passionate about. She gutted and renovated the property turning it into a dream home for herself and her son Oni. She created a large open plan living, kitchen and dining area with an adjoining studio workshop. The style of her home is Nordic/Industrial and is full of unusual touches such as an industrial staircase and many salvaged items.
Egon Walesch and Richard Goodwin – County Westmeath. Egon is an interior designer (www.egondesign.co.uk) and Richard is a management consultant. Egon and Richard split their time between London and Ireland.
Egon inherited this lakeside cabin after his father passed away in 2010 and carried out significant renovations. He wanted to preserve the memory of his parents and the time they had spent together as a family in the cabin, while also creating a colourful, playful modern, country styled home which reflected the beautiful woodland and lakeside setting. Major renovations took place between 2013 and 2014. Egon and Richard knocked down the internal walls and opened up the ceilings to create an open plan living space with sliding glass doors opening to their decking and beautiful lakeside views.
Denise and Stephen Walsh live in their modernist inspired home in County Tipperary with their 2 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.
Emma Hogan and Andrew Hersey live in a 100 year old cottage in County Clare. Emma is a children’s writer and illustrator with a background in graphic design and Andrew runs a boutique garden centre, (www.budgardencentre.ie) and is also a part time planning consultant.
Originally built in 1914, the cottage was in very poor condition when Emma and Andrew bought it. After 7 months of renovations including the addition of an extension of 2 separate buildings attached to the original cottage, Emma and Andrew finally moved in in 2010. Their home is brimming with creativity and showcases everything from their love of animals and the outdoors to their travels and design interests. They both love to unwind together by the stove after a long working day.
Journalist Fay Brophy lives in her detached home in South Dublin with her pet Chihuahuas Bruno and Lance.
Fay bought her house in 2012 and immediately set about injecting colour, life and her own personality into the home. Fay loves to upcycle and is a collector of vintage and retro pieces which is evident throughout her home. She also loves colour, particularly pink and has used warm, bright colours throughout. Fay describes her home as ‘arty, fun, retro – yet – modern and welcoming’. She especially loves her pink garden because it is always bright and cheery and her walk in wardrobe, which she describes as a Zen space.
Aine and Mick Sweeney live with their 3 children and Aine’s dad, Tim in a restored period home in Dublin. Aine is an interior designer (www.ainesweeney.com)
Aine and Mick wanted a home that would suit three generations of their family, where everyone would have their own space but be able to spend time together as a family as well. Built in 1912 the house was in need of some renovation. The preservation of this period property is something that Aine and Mick are very passionate about. They extended and restored the house to create a comfortable and relaxed family home. Aine project managed the renovations and carried out all of the interior design. She has collected a number of antiques and eclectic pieces over the years which can be seen throughout the home.
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.