Last week's episode of Home of the Year saw two House and Home favourites - Emily's Stoneybatter home and Eniko's dark and daring cottage in Down competed for a place in the final of Home of the Year, and this week the show returned with three more very different homes.
Mary Rodgers and her husband Mark's renovated Victorian villa was first up on last night's episode, and its striking architectural extension was a big talking point. The brief was to bring light into the home and open out the back to take in the sea view.
The new addition was marked by a dramatic tall space overlooked from a bridge at first floor level that led to four bedrooms and a bathroom. This formed a double height light filled void between the old house and the new. Bleached oak, a poured concrete floor for clean lines and a bright simple aesthetic all worked together to highlight the views.
Second up was Ciara Denvir's and her husband Pete's restored Victorian manor in Belfast. The pair share a passion for restoring historic homes to their former glory, and took on the challenge of their own home in 2014. Two years later, their historically significant home that had laid derelict for nearly 20 years, is a new space that stays true to the original layout and respects the existing house. Walls and doors were moved to create new spaces for modern family living, and though the restoration was time-consuming, it was a dream come true for the couple to have achieved what they did.
Rounding out the episode was Alice Carey and husband Geoffrey Knox's restored Georgian farmhouse in West Cork - a home they bought after seeing an ad in the New York Times. Original features such as the windows and the size of the rooms were retained and they made one addition of a large room with a stone floor and a large Gothic style window. Alice’s eclectic style is evident throughout with items purchased at auction and junk shops alike.She believes that by using old furniture the spirit of those items combined with her own creates a wonderful sense of home.
It was the period home in Belfast belonging to Ciara and Pete that took the place in the final in the end of the episode, with a score of 28 from the judges.
If you've got eyes on the Home of the Year prize after watching yourself, check out our interview with judge Hugh Wallace to see the top three things he's looking for as he examines each home for the series.
Home of the Year airs on Tuesday evenings at 8.30pm on RTE One.
