Home of the Year Judges Hugh, Amanda and Sara visit a refurbished ’70s home in Dublin, a 150 year old farmhouse in Co. Wicklow and a 1980’s chalet style bungalow in Belfast.
Niamh & James Peare, Dublin
Niamh Peare, an architect and interior designer, and James, an engineer, and their two daughters live in a 1970’s home with modern refurbishment in Dublin. The home originally had small rooms and was quite dark internally, so they carried out a complete refurbishment using custom-built furniture to provide a consistent connection with nature and introduced biophilic materials, textures and patterns. Niamh and James feel that the importance of a healthy home is more relevant than ever, and, as such, the couple wanted to create an interior that was flexible with a multipurpose family home and workplace. They love that they’ve created a healthy, happy family home that promotes their well-being.
James & Niamh Peare
What the judges had to say:
Amanda felt that this was a great home that captured the natural light and connected seamlessly with the outdoors, giving it 9/10. Both Hugh and Sara scored this home 8/10 with Hugh feeling that it demonstrated what you can achieve with great design design and an eye for detail. Total score: 25/30.
Kate & Shane Byrne, Wicklow
Kate, her husband Shane and their son, live in a 150-year-old farmhouse with modern extension in Co. Wicklow. The property has been in Shane’s family for decades but when they moved in, in 2018, they knocked through all the smaller rooms and added an extension to create an open plan living space with lots of natural light. The family love the sense of history in their home and that their son is the fourth generation of Byrne to grow up there and that, in time, it’ll be a place for his own family.
Shane & Kate Byrne
What the judges had to say:
Both Hugh and Sara scored this home 9/10. Hugh felt that it was a successful refurbishment of a 1930s farmhouse and a great example of a marriage between the old and the new. Sara also admired how the homeowners had mixed old and new throughout the house both in the use of their sophisticated colour palette and their furniture choices. Amanda scored it 8/10 and felt that it was light, spacious, comfortable, uplighting and had a great connection with the surrounding landscape. Total score: 26/30 putting this home through to the final!
Kerry & Nicky Devlin, Belfast
Kerry Devlin lives in a 1980s chalet style bungalow with her husband Nicky and their twin boys. Kerry and Nicky stumbled upon this property and fell in love with the location and incredible views. When the couple moved in, the house was neutral with dated décor, so they renovated the home to give it their own stamp. The interior design of this home is inspired by mid-century, modern and Scandi interiors; mixing vintage and retro furniture with modern pieces with plenty of colour, pattern and textures.
Nicky & Kerry Devlin
What the judges had to say:
Hugh and Amanda scored 8/10 each and while they liked the funky interiors, Hugh felt that it was successful in some rooms but not in others. Sara scored 7/10 because while she liked that the homeowners personality and stunning views, the use of pattern and colour in many areas was all just too overwhelming for her taste. Total score: 23/30.
Look back to Episode One here
Look back to Episode Two here
Look back to Episode Three here
Look back to Episode Four here
Look back to Episode Five here
Photography: RTÉ/Shinawil 2021. Photography credit: Joe McCallion
