0:00:02 > 0:00:07It's time once more to find Northern Ireland's House Of The Year.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10We've got a wonderfully wide variety of houses,
0:00:10 > 0:00:14each with something special, something unique, to offer.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18But who's going to be making those all-important decisions?
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Time to meet the judges.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Returning once again, head judge,
0:00:24 > 0:00:27award-winning residential architect Des Ewing.
0:00:27 > 0:00:32And international interior designer Suzanne Garuda.
0:00:32 > 0:00:38They're joined by Manhattan-based interior and product designer Michael Tavano.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43I'm looking at colour, scale, texture, lighting,
0:00:43 > 0:00:47how the rooms flow from one to the other, how they relate.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50There should be nothing in the house that doesn't work
0:00:50 > 0:00:53in terms of its circulation, in terms of its durability.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55It's got to look beautiful as well.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00A good interior, really, should lift your spirits.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03It should really nurture you, revive you.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Ultimately, a good interior should be a pleasure to live in.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09So there we are, three super-stylish judges,
0:01:09 > 0:01:1412 absolutely stunning properties, but only one winner.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17So let the games begin.
0:01:45 > 0:01:51Well, here we are, back again with the show that absolutely everybody has been talking about.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Trust me, I am as excited as you are.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57We will be travelling on your behalf the length and breadth
0:01:57 > 0:02:02of the country, trying to winkle out some wonderful properties,
0:02:02 > 0:02:07any one of which could be the winner of this year's House Of The Year.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Will we find better than in previous series?
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Well, you're going to just have to stay right there,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15keep watching and find out.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19But without further ado, let's see what's on today's menu.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24Will this year's winner be this lakeside family home in Enniskillen,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27sitting high on the banks above lovely Lough Erne?
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Or will it be this stylish contemporary beach house
0:02:31 > 0:02:34on the seafront in Cloughey, County Down?
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Or will it be our first house? A spectacular restoration.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42In fact, it's a reinvigoration of a 19th-century Gothic church
0:02:42 > 0:02:48that also includes a very creative Japanese-inspired new build annexe.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50You don't see many of those in County Fermanagh.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Built in 1841,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02the church was acquired in 1996 by its current owners
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Mollie and Jimmy Armstrong,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08who fell in love with it, but had no idea what to do with it.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11After some years, they commissioned their son Nathan,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13an architect living and working in Tokyo,
0:03:13 > 0:03:18to design a Japanese-inspired home with a contemporary barn extension.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23The church became the functional living space whilst the barn is the sleeping quarters.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27The Japanese influence is visible throughout, in the bedrooms,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31washroom and in its tatami mat reading bed in the link corridor,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33and in the Japanese gravel garden.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39It's a very unusual fusion between Victorian Gothic
0:03:39 > 0:03:44and then this incredibly elegant, very light,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47contemporary, Japanese-inspired style.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52It's beautiful to live in. And it is calm.
0:03:52 > 0:03:57It's the angularity of all the spaces that is so interesting for us.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00This extraordinary family link as well,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04because it's your son Nathan that has done all the architectural work.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06He's married to a Japanese girl
0:04:06 > 0:04:10and he's living in Japan with his three sons.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14It's a bit far away for an architect, but we managed to set up
0:04:14 > 0:04:17a communication system which worked, really worked.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- With Dad as project manager.- Yes. - Driving a dump truck.- Yes.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Exactly. It wouldn't have been possible, I think,
0:04:24 > 0:04:28if it hadn't been for Nathan providing very good working drawings.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32The working drawings to me were really the key to the finish of the project.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36This is what's so extraordinary about this whole building -
0:04:36 > 0:04:38there's nowhere to hide.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43With this perfection of detail, you can't paper over the cracks
0:04:43 > 0:04:47or paint it a bright colour, it's all got to be absolutely perfect.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51So you must, as a family, be enormously proud of what you've done.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55- Mmm.- We are, but we enjoy it.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57It really is an absolutely fascinating building.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Let's go and see what Des thinks about the architecture outside.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07You must love this place, because it's got more architecture
0:05:07 > 0:05:09then you can shake an architectural stick at.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14- This is a project that has just got everything.- It's extraordinary.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18The church is too small, so it had to be extended. Two ways of doing it.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21You either make a replica of the church, which is very common,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24and the way it would be done on most occasions. This is much braver.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26We're doing something that blends in,
0:05:26 > 0:05:32there's a confidence that it's going to blend in, it's not going to take away from the beautiful church.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35It's got a restoration which is absolutely authentic.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38It's got lime, they've cleaned back the sandstone, slate roof,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42the cast-iron gutters, and then it's got the extension.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Look at that. It is so simple.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48It doesn't take away from the church and doesn't crowd it.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50The little link keeps it politely away from it.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Simplicity is the important element here.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Who would have thought this little link works? But it's beautiful.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Externally, it keeps the two parts apart.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Internally, it is the most beautiful part of the house.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06I think, to me, there is such a strong sense of personality through all of this.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10Everybody here, the design team, are making their own decisions.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14They're not worried about fashion, about style, about what other people think.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18- That's it.- They just like it, and so the emotion carries you through it.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22Yeah. It presents itself beautifully, it sits so well in the countryside.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24It's great to see something so polite.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Des has definitely been seduced by its complex simplicity,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30or should that be simple complexity?
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Let's go inside and see what Michael thinks.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36I think you're being well and truly spoilt.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Imagine, Michael, this is your first ever House Of The Year contender.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- What a beauty.- It's unbelievable.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47If this is what I have to look at my entire time here, I am going to be so spoiled.
0:06:47 > 0:06:48They stripped this place back
0:06:48 > 0:06:53and created this amazing modern temple, maybe, if you will.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56They've done all this lovely oak, this Irish oak, that's here.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Usually oak is a very cold wood to me.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01This is a very warm feeling here.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04They've done touches like that through the whole place.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07You don't feel like you're in this big, vast, open space.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09It has a sense of warmth and comfort to it.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14The pod up here, where Mollie does her needlework that she does,
0:07:14 > 0:07:18she can look out these gorgeous Gothic windows behind us.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21It's just lovely views everywhere you look.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24This is a very, very elegant, very contemporary kitchen.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28It is, and it works in here, because it has a Zen-like quality to it.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33It has the Corian countertops that are just beautiful, the way they're done.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36It's an easy workspace, you can get a lot done in here,
0:07:36 > 0:07:38it cleans up quickly, not a lot on the counters.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Again, going back to that Zen feeling.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44This is what they call in New York style manuals "eclecticism".
0:07:44 > 0:07:48- It is, at its best, I think.- Because it's not bought off-the-shelf,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51- it's something that's grown. - It's personal. Most people say,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54"Oh, well, it's not in trend, it's not in style,"
0:07:54 > 0:07:57but trend and style is about your personality,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59and this house is full of personality.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03I reckon that's a T-shirt. That's a very good T-shirt slogan. Excellent.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05It sounds like Michael is extremely impressed.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Suzanne is checking out the living quarters. Let's go and catch up with her.
0:08:13 > 0:08:14It is all extremely clever,
0:08:14 > 0:08:20because the reason the church feels so uncluttered is because all the living happens here.
0:08:20 > 0:08:26- But very elegantly.- Beautifully designed. Right through from the screens which divide the bedrooms,
0:08:26 > 0:08:30- the Japanese bath... - Yeah.- Oh, beautiful. It's just so well-designed.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34And again, these double height spaces, so there's a constant feeling of space.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36This is probably my favourite bit.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40This is the most beautiful link corridor I think I've ever been in.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44But for most people, this would just have been written off,
0:08:44 > 0:08:49because it's just a space that unites the church with where everybody's living.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52But here it's considered as an experience in its own right.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56It's a link from the past to the present.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01It's a link that is actually a relaxation area. It's connected to the outside.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05You've got the beautiful Japanese garden. It's very, very Zen.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Obviously, a commercial development, a corridor area like this
0:09:08 > 0:09:12just simply wouldn't happen, because it's a luxury of space.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16But obviously for Mollie and Jimmy, they're making the decisions, they're calling the shots.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19- Absolutely.- You can really tell they enjoy this.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23But so much attention to detail has gone into this one space.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27You've got the Japanese garden outside and all the layers which are in that.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31Then you've got this tatami mat which is lovely. It's so relaxing.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36There's a real serenity about this space. It's the attention to detail, even in the small things,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39which makes this so completely successful.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41There we have house number one,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Jimmy and Mollie's Gothic church conversion
0:09:44 > 0:09:48with its extremely elegant Japanese-inspired new build annexe.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52A fitting start to this year's quest to find House Of The Year.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Let's meet house number two.
0:10:01 > 0:10:07Our next house really wouldn't look out of place in Malibu or Muscle Beach,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11but this is Cloughey in County Down on the Ards peninsula,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15so no chance of any East Coast weather.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19In fact, despite all of its glamorous, jet-set, LA styling,
0:10:19 > 0:10:24the most surprising thing about this property is its small budget.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Sited right on the seashore in Cloughey,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35this contemporary beach house was designed
0:10:35 > 0:10:37by its architect owner Lee Jenkinson
0:10:37 > 0:10:40and project managed by himself and his wife Kate.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44Elegant and cool, it was completed on a very modest budget.
0:10:44 > 0:10:50They already had the site and cleverly only spent money on quality finishes where necessary.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53The exterior is cedar, which not only looks good -
0:10:53 > 0:10:55it's also excellent for insulation.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Internally, it's stylish and tailored,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03with a contemporary kitchen/living space and incredible sea views.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06A very imaginative feature is an internal 20-foot well
0:11:06 > 0:11:09dating from 1826, uncovered during the build.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11There's a landscaped sea garden to the side
0:11:11 > 0:11:15and a very James Bond-esque turning circle,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19necessary because of the contained nature of the site.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23- Are you very proud of him, what he's done?- Yes, he's worked very hard.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26She didn't even think about it. Did you see that? Straight in there.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29"Yes, I am proud of Lee."
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Because it's a very, very swanky pad.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35- It's not about money this place, is it, at all? - BOTH: No.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Very much a budget and what you can achieve on a budget.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Cos our circumstances changed. Just before we started,
0:11:42 > 0:11:47we would have lost about a third of our budget, so it was touch and go whether we did it at all.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Did you find that you were forced to find new ways of doing things?
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Say, for example, the edge detail.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58That would have had quite a lot of stainless steel in it.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00We pared it down to something
0:12:00 > 0:12:02that Dad and I could have just clipped on.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- What's it actually like to live in? - The house is brilliant,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08it's lovely and warm. One thing I love is heat.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11We haven't even had the heat on since we've been in.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15The kids have got lots of storage now for their toys. It's brilliant.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19- Just the layout and the design... - Have you got lots of storage for the kids?
0:12:19 > 0:12:22- I think that's quite important! - That's why they have their TV room.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26- The snug, that's where they go. - How much did it actually cost?
0:12:26 > 0:12:31- 170,000 minus 12,000 VAT... - Blimey.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35- Do you do gift wrapping? - BOTH LAUGH
0:12:35 > 0:12:40The thing is, it really does look as if it should be on the cover of a glossy magazine. And who knows?
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Perhaps it will be on the cover of a glossy magazine
0:12:43 > 0:12:46when it wins House Of The Year. Is it going to?
0:12:46 > 0:12:51Let's join Des down on the beach to see what he thinks about the architecture.
0:12:55 > 0:13:01Obviously the big story here is how much good value this place was.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- Does that look like a cheap house? - Not to me.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07When you compare, this is the equivalent of a townhouse in the city.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11We can have this beautiful house by the beach.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Do you feel that actually more houses should be built like this?
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Because he's used design rather than throwing expensive materials...
0:13:18 > 0:13:22He's gone over and over it, reducing the budget all the time.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Because it's by the beach, it's got these tremendous views.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27All you need is something that is very simple,
0:13:27 > 0:13:31has got sensible accommodation and makes the most of the link with the water.
0:13:31 > 0:13:37He's done that, and he's done that on a very tight site with very difficult planning constraints.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39I think the other thing I find very interesting
0:13:39 > 0:13:43is also this kind of subplot, if you like, about disabled access,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46because it's not obvious, is it?
0:13:46 > 0:13:49It just makes the building very simple and a joy to use,
0:13:49 > 0:13:51because everything is so level and easy.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53There isn't a big disabled ramp at the entrance.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58- In fact, at the entrance, there is the turning circle.- Have you had a go?- I've not had a go yet.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03It also means he's got a bit more shelter round the door, which is a necessity.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06And this building has been designed out of necessity
0:14:06 > 0:14:08and what has been achieved is a little piece of art.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Well, there's no doubt about it,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13this house is a triumph of design over budget.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16And although this isn't the East Coast of America,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20I think it looks sensational on the beach.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23But let's find out what Suzanne thinks about the interiors.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32For all its LA-inspired loveliness,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36it couldn't be further from LA weather, could it? Very Northern Irish.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39There is a real continental feeling about this house.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41- Very international. - Yeah, it is, very European.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44There's a lot of energy you get by living by the sea
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and that is what is so beautiful about this location.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50They have really maximised this with the windows,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and the fact that they're just solid plate glass windows,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56rather than doors, because of the sand coming in.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01- Then that fantastic balustrade. - I suppose that's because they've been on the site for eight years,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04they know that it would be lovely to have doors there,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07- but they simply wouldn't work. They wouldn't be practical.- Yeah.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10That's the thing about having lived here before,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12they learned a lot about the site
0:15:12 > 0:15:15and knew how to position everything so it works very, very well.
0:15:15 > 0:15:21But the thing I really like about this house is it shows what we're going to have to do more of.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24This house has been done to a very, very tight budget.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28It's been very well thought-out. They've informed themselves, looked around,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32they've picked something they like the style of.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37Everything here is straightforward, high-street stuff. But it's the mix, isn't it?
0:15:37 > 0:15:41- It's the way it's put together that makes it personal.- Absolutely. That's what's happening now.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45They've got a bit less cash, but a bit more confidence, and that's great.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48I think that is going to change the way we see design here.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51It is high chic but from the high street.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Let's go and find Michael who's having a look at the living rooms.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02Right, where are you? There you are. You're not easy to miss here.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- I'm in the den. This is a really cute den.- No, no, this is a snug.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09A snug? How cute is that? Well it is kind of snug in here.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12It's well done. This is where the kids watch TV.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16They've done a great job with the privacy with the window behind us up high.
0:16:16 > 0:16:17This wall is really interesting,
0:16:17 > 0:16:20it's the curve from the car turnstile out front.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Do you think that would have been nice with a little bit of colour on it maybe?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26I do. There needs to be more colour in here.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30I'd like to see more colour. In small spaces, colour works.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34The bathroom, I like the use of shiny and matt tiles on the wall. It gives some depth to it.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38And then this, this is really, really pretty.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Pretty outrageous, this well, that they've found
0:16:42 > 0:16:43when they were excavating.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46That dates back to 1826.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48It's a nice way of bringing a bit of history,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50but in a very contemporary way.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54- Yes, it really, really is. - There we go.- Careful, careful.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57it's a bit like Indiana Jones' snake pit. Indiana O'Jones.
0:16:57 > 0:16:58I want to show you in here.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02It's a small little room, has great views
0:17:02 > 0:17:05and there's some great little DIYs that they did in here.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08What he did to the window - isn't that brilliant?
0:17:08 > 0:17:11It's like a shadow box lit with the painting. It's adorable.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13But this view is what makes it for me.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16To wake up and look at that is really pretty special.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20A DIY Malibu beach house but without an LA price tag.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25A very impressive house number two. Now onto house number three.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36And so onto our third and final house.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39It's a characterful new build here in Enniskillen,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42situated high above the banks of Lough Erne
0:17:42 > 0:17:47to make the most of these spectacular views of water rolling through the lush countryside.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51Yum! It's the perfect location. But what's the house like?
0:17:54 > 0:17:58This grand lakeside family home is the property of Richard Cooper
0:17:58 > 0:18:00who acquired the site five years ago
0:18:00 > 0:18:05with the dream to build a large house close to town, but still have spectacular views of Lough Erne.
0:18:05 > 0:18:10He wanted to create plenty of space for the kids to run around
0:18:10 > 0:18:13but also to have some grown-up areas as well.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18Rustic finishes are used to create cosiness in the open plan kitchen/living space,
0:18:18 > 0:18:23whilst areas such as the dining room and master bedroom have a chic, contemporary feel.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26An impressive feature is this stone-clad tower,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28which houses a spiral staircase.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34This is the most astonishingly beautiful view.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39- Do you have links, family links with the area?- Yes, my mum and dad used to live down in that house.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- That one there?- Yeah, absolutely.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44I think in my mind I always wanted
0:18:44 > 0:18:46something that had a view of the lake.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48I was always on the lake when I was young
0:18:48 > 0:18:53- and I always wanted to be close to it.- Cos the thing that strikes me about the house
0:18:53 > 0:18:56is that there are a lot of traditional references,
0:18:56 > 0:19:02but it still feels very, very modern inside in the way that you obviously want to use it.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07What were the inspirations in terms of laying a house out like this?
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Well, we wanted space.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13Things that you see in it, like the stone and the ironwork,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16were all things that I'd seen over a number of years, on my holidays,
0:19:16 > 0:19:18and looking through magazines,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21and there were always things that I liked in houses.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24So it was a matter of throwing all those things together
0:19:24 > 0:19:27and seeing what way it turned out. I think it turned out fine.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32- Do you think this house sums you up as a personality?- Yeah, absolutely.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35It's a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll -
0:19:35 > 0:19:37- it's the best of both worlds. - That's me.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39It's definitely a fascinating house.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43I'm going to catch up with Des and see what he thinks about the architecture.
0:19:49 > 0:19:54Now, Des, this is a house that is trying to be both traditional and modern at the same time.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56- Is it working for you?- Not for me.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58It falls between two stools.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02I feel you've got to have a conviction to go one way or the other.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06It's a site for a modern house when you've got views like this,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08but the client wants something that's traditional,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11so you can see from this the concept is a bit muddled.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15There's modern touches, some of which I think are quite nice.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18I quite like this glass balustrade and there are some ideas,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21like at the front, that turret strikes me as a good idea.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25- It is an eye-catching... - The turret is good. It shows you where the entrance is.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29You know there's going to be something there and that's where the front door is.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32So that's good. It is a little jumbled on that side.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34You've got the retaining wall on one side
0:20:34 > 0:20:38and the fact you come to the garage first at the house is never a good thing.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41In its defence, I know that this house has grown from the inside out,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44which I like. I think it's nice to think in terms
0:20:44 > 0:20:46of how it's going to be used, it's a family home.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51But, obviously, this is a very, very obvious house and that is the big thing.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54Because if you're having a picnic over there, gorgeous,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57ravishing area, this is what you're looking at.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Yeah, and I bet it looks great. I bet it looks great from there.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Because you've got the stone and it looks like real stone from there.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06But when you come closer, you see it's just a veneer,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08you see it's a fake, which is not a good thing.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- So is it a des-res? - It remains to be seen.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22I think some of these materials are very exciting.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26- It's the idea of bringing the landscape in.- Yeah, it's a bit like a cottage inside.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30- That external wall there, the render of that is very nice.- That's lovely.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35And the wonderful curve, which makes it feel much, much more welcoming.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37This is a lovely space, the way it's been divided up.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41So you've got this really nice snug and then you're straight through
0:21:41 > 0:21:45into this conservatory, so you've got another nice, big, bright room.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47And then the kitchen and the dining room.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51I think this is very successful, because obviously this is a big area
0:21:51 > 0:21:54and a lot of people would have just left it open, but, in fact,
0:21:54 > 0:21:58by creating these little zones, creating these little personalities...
0:21:58 > 0:22:01I think that is its charm. That they have the different levels,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04they've divided the space up very differently.
0:22:04 > 0:22:10- We're so used to know seeing big open-plan kitchens, very contemporary.- Yes.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14And they don't always work. This has got a nice use of materials.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19You've got the Yorkstone, the stone on the wall, walnut,
0:22:19 > 0:22:23which is quite contemporary. They've really thought about their use of materials.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Do you think design is moving on? Are we turning our back on the modern?
0:22:27 > 0:22:32- Are we looking for a new style? - I think we're reworking a lot of contemporary living.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34People have had those big open spaces
0:22:34 > 0:22:37and now they're trying to put a bit more emotion into it,
0:22:37 > 0:22:42a bit more feeling, and they're realising that the old finishes, actually,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46a lot of them really, really worked and made places feel a bit cosier.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50- So I think we are.- The heart of the home again. Very interesting.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52So Suzanne is getting emotional in the kitchen.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55How does Michael feel about the dining room?
0:22:55 > 0:22:58There is a distinct change of mood as you come through that door.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01The rustic gives way to something a little bit more grand,
0:23:01 > 0:23:04something a little bit more glam, actually.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Yes. Glamour, glamour, toujours glamour. Look at this.
0:23:08 > 0:23:14- This is glamour. Mirrored fireplace. - That's quite boutique hotel. And the wallpaper...
0:23:14 > 0:23:16The wallpaper, a great statement.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19I think it's lovely, the idea of using pattern and colour,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22- almost like texture. - Yeah, it is a texture,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and this does add a texture to the wallpaper, which is nice.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29- Beautiful window treatments, great header detail.- This is nice as well.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32This is a family piece that he brought from his parents' house.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34He really loves it, he wanted to use it here.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37I'm so happy when things like that happen.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41I think again getting out of the tyranny of modern houses with modern furniture.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Right, you blend it in. It's great. This way, leading into the foyer here,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48you have your archway into the formal living room.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51It mirrors the archway into the kitchen
0:23:51 > 0:23:54and then it brings us in here to the stairwell,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56which is the turret from the outside.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00That leads you upstairs to this very grand hallway
0:24:00 > 0:24:05that could actually even be used as a picture gallery, if you would.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Then leading into the master suite.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Again, having more wallpaper in it, which is well done in there.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14He's done a job of mixing wrought iron and stainless steel
0:24:14 > 0:24:18and silks and beautiful wallpapers to create a traditional modern.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22- So, well done.- There we go. Traditional modern.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26An incredibly interesting last house for today's programme.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Three fabulous houses, but will one of them
0:24:29 > 0:24:33have what it takes to be this year's House Of The Year?
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Only the judges will decide.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53So we're back, and better than ever,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56and we've got some astonishing architecture,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59some jaw-dropping locations and some fabulous properties.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Now, just like you, I was extremely impressed by those three houses.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05But what did our judges think?
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Before we find out, let's have a quick reminder.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12House number one is Mollie and Jimmy's Japanese church house in County Fermanagh,
0:25:12 > 0:25:17a fascinating marriage of East and West, Old World and New.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21House number two is Lee and Kate's contemporary beach house in Cloughey,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24a stylish pad that wouldn't look out of place in Malibu
0:25:24 > 0:25:26but realised on a very modest budget.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31And house number three is Richard Cooper's lakeside family home in Enniskillen,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33an impressive new build with its own tower
0:25:33 > 0:25:35and breathtaking views of Lough Erne.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Time to find out what the judges really think.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Well, show one has thrown up three incredibly interesting houses.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53What a great start to the series. Today, we're not here to choose a winner,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55because everyone's going through to the final.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57Michael, you're the new kid on the block.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01What did you think of the Japanese church house?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I have to say, if this is anything like the rest of the homes,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07it's going to be a tough competition.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10This house was really well done,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13integrating the old and the new together.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17The textures that were used, the craftsmanship was right on top.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22You could see that with the way the outside was brought into the inside was brought through to the finishes.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26I think that's what really makes it work so successfully.
0:26:26 > 0:26:31- It was that little link that worked the most successfully.- Absolutely. That, to me, was the little gem.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Which is a surprise, because it was so necessary externally
0:26:35 > 0:26:38to separate the two buildings, the old and the new.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41They carried everything through. Like the link corridor
0:26:41 > 0:26:44had that Gothic peak to it that carried through into the church.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46The contemporary beach house,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50another architect-designed house, by Lee and Kate, in Cloughey.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52There was great energy from the sea, from the location,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56and you got that because of the way the windows were.
0:26:56 > 0:26:57They were big windows at the seaside.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02- What about the feel of the interior? - The feel of the interior left me wanting more.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07- It doesn't have to be lacklustre on a budget.- It was not lacklustre.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10- That house is not lacklustre. - I thought it was.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13It was genius, for that price,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16to produce something that has that beach house feel to it.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20It's created something that is just very simple, I think.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Anyway, here's a house for you - the lakeside family home.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26It's got you written all over it.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30- MICHAEL LAUGHS - It does have an American scale to it...
0:27:30 > 0:27:33- You know him so well!- I know.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36It does have that American scale to it, which I did enjoy.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38I did feel at home,
0:27:38 > 0:27:43the way they had these great big open spaces that were used well.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46I wanted more from the interior. I got a little bit of it with the wallpaper
0:27:46 > 0:27:50and some of the window treatments that were being used.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53The kitchen really worked. The kitchen and the snug, the use of space.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56I think Richard really put a lot of thought into that.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00For me, what was most disappointing was the fact you approach the garage first.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03The approach of a house is very important. You come to the garage
0:28:03 > 0:28:06and then you come to an area of tarmac with a retaining wall.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08You've come in and you've lost already.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- Well, we've some strong contenders. - Yeah, sure.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13- Maybe a potential winner.- Maybe.
0:28:13 > 0:28:18We're just going to have to wait and see how they compete against the other houses in the final.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Interesting as ever. Food for thought indeed from our judging panel.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27We'll be finding out how those three do against the other properties in our series final.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Join us next time, cos we've got more inspirational homes
0:28:30 > 0:28:34as we continue the hunt to find Northern Ireland's House Of The Year.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:58 > 0:29:01E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk