Every Tuesday from February the 14th 2023, join the judging panel of Hugh, Amanda, and Sara as they explore 21 outstanding homes across Ireland. Episode 4 features homes in Dublin, Kildare and Mayo.
Episode 4
The judges are back, and the homes are open for viewing! This year the judges returning to make the tough decisions are, architect and founding partner of Douglas Wallace Consultants, Hugh Wallace, award-winning architect Amanda Bone and award-winning interior designer Sara Cosgrove.
Jean and John Farrell
Jean and John Farrell live in a modern new build home in Dublin.
The couple had lived in a Victorian house for 26 years that had been perfect for them and their growing family but as their children moved out the couple had a dream to build a contemporary house in the garden of their old home.
The home has been designed to capture the light and the spectacular views. Jean and John worked closely with their architect and builder to overcome the difficult sloping site and to make sure the home was sympathetic to its surroundings. Spread out over 4 floors to maximise the site, the house is an “upside down home” with the living areas at the top of the house and the bedrooms are on the bottom.
Jean and John love their home and how it maximises the site, views and use of light.
María Alcazar and Michael Swan
María Alcazar and Michael Swan live in a duplex apartment in Kildare along with their daughter, Sofia.
They bought the property in 2001 when it was still very much a shell, so they set about putting their own stamp on it. Over the years they have done lots of work to the home, including extending the footprint of the kitchen, installing floor to ceiling bookshelves for their reading corner, redesigning the layout of the mezzanine level and installing crittall style doors to increase the amount of light in the space and redesigning the layout of the bedrooms.
María loves that their apartment is full of natural light, space and colour and that it makes a perfect family home.
Jacqui and Rob Naughton
Jacqui and Rob Naughton live in a renovated village home in Mayo along with their two sons.
The home had been in Robert’s family when the couple purchased it in 2020. Originally built in the early 1900’s the property had seen many uses over the years, including formerly being a girls secondary school. The home had been vacant for a few years before they moved in, so they completely renovated the property to make in it to a warm family home.
Jacqui, an interior decorator, describes the home as having a traditional country style and is proud that they have been able to bring back some of the character of this historical building which had been lost over the years. The couple loves the transformation that they have brought to the original building, and how they’ve retained its uniqueness but also made it into a cosy and welcoming home.
