Episode 2 House of the Year

It's time once more to find Northern Ireland's House of the Year.

We've got a wonderfully wide variety of houses,

each with something special, something unique to offer.

But, who's going to be making those all-important decisions?

Time to meet the judges.

Returning once again as head judge,

award-winning residential architect, Des Ewing.

International interior designer, Suzanne Garuda.

And joining them, Manhattan-based interior and product designer,

Michael Tavano.

The best part of being an interior designer is that

I get to create spaces for my clients that express their personality.

Housing is great -

whenever things are going well, we know they're going well.

Whenever things are going bad, we know they're going bad.

We have passion, clients have passion

and people really respect what you're trying to do.

The best aspect of my job as a judge

is meeting such enthusiastic homeowners, who invite us into their houses

and sharing and celebrating their joy and their sense of achievement.

So there we are, three super-stylish judges,

12 absolutely stunning properties

but, only one winner.

So, let the games begin.

Oh, lucky day, because we've got three more stupendous contenders

for this year's House Of The Year.

Something old, something new and something very special.

Could it be a 19th century gentleman's residence in Lurgan?

Or perhaps a black and white villa on the outskirts of Portadown?

Or will it be this fabulously fashionable seaside retreat -

an exercise in glossy, contemporary glamour

that doesn't just have a room with a view,

because here, every room's got a view.

This new-build contemporary house

lies under the gaze of Fair Head, just outside Ballycastle.

It's built on the site of an historic derelict dwelling

known locally as Marconi Cottage.

Owners Jacqui and Alan Fraser

designed one side of the house to maintain their privacy

whilst the other side has large floor-to-ceiling windows,

maximising the stunning sea views.

Generous proportions downstairs provide a spacious living space,

dining area and a very modern kitchen.

Upstairs, the en-suite bedrooms or cabins are at the back of the house

with the master bedroom and aptly-named viewing room at the seaward side.

The views out obviously are extraordinary, I mean, absolutely beautiful.

-We've Rathlin Island, the Mull of Kintyre...

-Fair Head.

But you've also created views into the house, which is quite unusual.

We want this house to blend into the landscape

and just a feel a very relaxing place to be

and the whole design of the house, the fact that every room has a view.

What about inspiration?

To me, this has so many resonances with international design.

Fortunately, I do travel and I have an interest in interior designs

and fashion is my background,

but my husband and I work very much as a team, it is not just my input.

-What does he do?

-He gives the final say.

-He writes the cheques!

-A very creative part in the procedure!

That's the most important bit. He has to pay for it.

What is the link with Marconi?

Obviously, he transmitted the first radio, supposedly, it's hearsay

but supposedly the first radio transmission

was done from this area and when we bought the site

there was only the original wall on the outside that existed

and a small tumbledown whitewash of what was probably the original cottage.

If we could have restored an existing building, we'd have done that.

If the local legends are true and Marconi did come here, he'd have been fascinated.

This is it, this is modern-day technology.

-I'm sure he was terribly chic.

-Absolutely!

-He'd have loved your textures, for sure.

-I hope so!

You know, funnily enough, I think these days,

modern seems to come with quite a big dose of retro

because, now this is going to sound awful, Suzanne,

but this kind of reminds me a bit of an office,

a 1960s office or a school or something?

-Laurence!

-Have I shocked you?

-You have shocked me.

-Architecturally speaking.

I do find it a bit shocking

because I think for a lot of people, this is a real dream home.

Not just the location, but there's a beautiful scale

and a very, very sophisticated colour palette going on, which is so successful, really.

If you look at the colours in the sea, the rocks,

it's exactly the same as the carpet.

I have to say, I think the carpet is one of the absolute triumphs.

It's not just a reflection of the landscape, it's also Tweed, isn't it?

It's a complete reflection of Jacqui,

it's glossy magazine cover perfect.

Yes, there is a level of perfection here

which maybe for some people would be hard to live with

because we all like a little bit of quirky design.

Really, I do think this is a luxury, luxury home

and this house really suits them as a couple.

I think one of the extraordinary things is

that amongst all of this very wild, very rugged coastal landscape,

this is so crisp.

It's so uncompromisingly man-made and geometrical. Does that work?

The contrast between it and the stone definitely works on this side of the house.

The other side of the house is maybe not just as successful,

it's not just as brave as it is here, but I've a feeling that's a planning issue.

Also, I wonder whether it's a psychological issue as well?

Obviously, that's a very public face to the house

and they're trying not to draw too much attention to it

but the issue, I wonder, is whether this sort of sunny architecture,

this is the architecture of the Mediterranean and the west coast,

does it really, really work back in good old-fashioned old country, where it rains?

It rains, yes, but you've no choice here.

With a view like that you've got to have a lot of glass.

It would be a shame just to do a little thatched cottage here

or a repro with little small windows.

You're only a few metres from the sea.

There's going to be great issues with corrosion and water.

Water penetration is one of the biggest issues or faults

within houses in Northern Ireland and here, we can already see

a little bit of staining on the glass, the edge of the glass balcony.

It needs to be built very well. It looks like it has been built very well.

The details need to be very crisp and they need to be very tight.

Internally, it is the absolutely right thing to do.

Externally, some of the details are a little bit heavy.

The overhang should have been a little lighter but in general,

they had no choice, it had to be like this.

This is extraordinary, isn't it?

I feel as if I'm in some incredibly glossy, very, very glamorous, advert almost,

selling something very expensive and lovely.

This is sleek, chic and sophisticated, it really, really is.

It so reflects the homeowners.

She is just Donna Karan, Armani,

with a little bit of Dolce and Gabbana swung in there.

I can tell you like it because there's so much hip swinging,

I'm beginning to feel seasick. It's like being on a boat with you.

There's something quite nautical about this.

She went with the feeling of the ocean with all the colours.

They're soothing, there is enough colour.

Don't like the carpets, a little too matchy-patchy through the house.

It is the ultimate open-plan

because there are no real distinctions other than glass.

And the glass, you have that perfect combination of shine and matt happening in here,

which is difficult to do and the placement of colour,

where there is colour, it really is well done.

I find it very exciting, I have to say.

Things like that burnt ochre colour, the grey is quite unusual.

It really is and this kitchen is well done, with the colour combinations.

I want to know where she got these buckles,

because I think you've a trouser-suit with a great big buckle like that.

They're straight off my shoes are what they're off, from the time of the Quakers.

I'm amazed you can walk in those, I really am.

It is lovely because actually, a kitchen like this can be too plain, it can be too simple.

-But it's the wood.

-This is accessories, you know?

It's the wood tone that warms it up in here.

-So, you're enjoying this?

-I am.

-You have a few reservations?

A few, but I'm really enjoying it, really enjoying it.

Sounds to me like my friend Michael here is having something of a chic overdose,

so how will he and the other judges going to cope with house number two?

There aren't many period properties in this year's competition,

so this house is a rare treat to be savoured.

It's a Victorian home that's brim full of character

and overflowing with period details.

It's even got its own glamorous swimming pool,

housed in its own glamorous Victorian-inspired pool house.

This gentleman's residence in Lurgan

is the much-loved home of Eileen and Pat Hanna.

At one time, the six-bedroomed house had servants quarters

but the house has been modernised in recent years,

with many of the Victorian features being retained.

Pat built the swimming-pool extension himself

and painstakingly searched

for original stained glass for the windows.

Not only have they turned their hand to the inside,

the couple have worked hard to reintroduce Victorian splendour

to the one-time award-winning gardens.

When it comes to owning a house like this, is it a huge responsibility?

Obviously, this house has seen an enormous amount.

It's quite a local landmark.

Are there times when you feel that you've got to live up to it a bit,

or can it reflect your personalities?

Yes, we can make it reflect our personalities.

I love the way you thought about it!

I'm beginning to suspect that you're quite good at getting your personality across.

This is a house for fun, is a house for entertaining.

It's a house for bringing people to, friends and family.

I think that's what we've achieved with this house.

This is an extraordinary house,

it really is Victorian Architecture

in all its twinkly-winkly showy-offiness.

What's it like being lord of the manor?

I've never felt like I'm the lord of the manor

but I've felt that I owe a lot to people of that generation.

I've always had great admiration for design

and people that put thought into things.

But also, you've built this whole swimming pool.

That looks as if it's been here forever - very clever.

This originally was a green house. This didn't exist.

We turned that into the conservatory

and then this was an outside pool

which was never used because of the weather, so Pat decided to cover it.

What's your favourite bit about the house?

Probably my favourite room would be the kitchen.

We do spend a lot of time there. We tried to create it to look old.

You have to be respectful with everything that's in the house.

This house has a little bit to live up to.

It already has won an award for its garden, albeit in 1954.

But is it up to winning this year's House Of The Year?

Let's see what the judges think - let's catch up with Michael inside.

I always think the secret with Victorian gardens,

prize-winning or not, is to look down on them.

There's a wonderful view from up there. Where have you been?

-Oh, in the dining room, having just a little bite to eat.

-Very nice!

It's a lovely dining room, with all the Murano glass that they've brought back from holiday.

She loves entertaining.

I want to draw your attention to the wallpaper,

because I think it's something that a lot of people aren't brave enough to do

but by thunder, that looks good!

It does work, doesn't it? I mean, the scale of it works with the space.

This house truly is a study in architecture and scale.

The volume of it is perfectly done.

-If you stripped this whole house out and left the window treatments...

-It'd be curtains!

LAUGHTER

..the carpets and the lighting, and replaced it

-with more modern furniture...

-It would work.

It would work for a young family immediately.

This room interests me.

Obviously, this room was always designed

to celebrate a relationship with the garden

and now they've revived the path and the pond,

you can see how that's actually part of the room really, isn't it?

It's just breathtaking, the walk.

You don't know what time of history you're in when you look out there.

The relationship between the path, the balustrade,

the urns, the fountain - it brings the garden into the house.

It does and you can just imagine some ladies with bustles out there.

I often see ladies with bustles.

Disappointingly, when I look out into the garden,

I see no ladies with bustles, I just see Des,

the head of our judging panel, with a very stern look on his face.

I always think it's really important when dealing with an old house

to remember that life isn't a period drama.

That in fact, trying to capture the spirit of an age actually

works very, very well and there's a personality

that seems to rhyme with the Victorian sensibility.

It's beautiful.

Some Victorian houses in this country are a little bit too grim.

This one's playful. It's got the original details,

it's almost becoming a little bit camp, this house.

LAUGHTER

It's that late-flowering arts and crafts eclectic look,

where you get lots of craft items, which I think are lovely.

What about what the garden and the pool house?

The extension here, I think the extension is appropriate

in that it's extended into the garden and its at low level.

It takes away from the building, which is a little bit too high, so that's correct.

Maybe a little bit more detail to the roof.

If you're going to do it, you have do it correctly.

They have the fan lines correct, the leaded lights correctly done,

so it looks as if it is part of the original building.

And what about the garden? It's a very important part of this house

and often, a very important part of Victorian design.

It is, and the path around the exterior of the garden and this path

coming out from the bay are entirely appropriate in terms of their plan.

Some of the materials they've used, I wouldn't be keen on.

I think it would be better as gravel or natural stone rather than a concrete product.

It looks dead when you compare it with the real thing, with these natural materials,

with the natural terracotta colour in the brick.

It's when you put one beside the other, it's a bit more difficult.

Oh! I suddenly fancy a cocktail.

What a lovely pool!

Yes, we're in a Victorian gentleman's residence with a swimming pool -

indoor swimming pool -

which to me, makes a lot of sense in Northern Ireland.

It's very sympathetically done.

You've got this lovely joinery, which ties in,

the stained glass, which is new, but copies the old.

And even the pitch pine - I do really like it here, I think it works really well.

You normally are pine-phobic.

I think there's a heritage sense to that which works.

It feels like a shooting lodge somewhere.

It ties in very much with what was the potting shed.

They basically took it all down, remade it as a garden room

and then were able to connect it to what is then the indoor pool.

It looks like it's always been here.

I love the worn texture to the leather there,

I wonder how they've achieved that?

Well, I think that might be to do with the cat and the dog!

If you want to Ralph Lauren-up your sofa, get a dog!

So, house number two -

an historical rarity in the series, so enjoy it.

Move on to house number three.

Our third and final house is just down the road in Portadown.

It's a 5,500 square foot exercise in monochrome modern.

Yes, like all the best fashionista photo-shoots,

this place oozes black and white chic.

Set in an acre of land, this striking house in Portadown reflects

the owner Vivienne Busby's love of natural light.

Large windows face out into the garden,

designed to bring the outside inside.

There are no curtains in the house, just the odd window panel or two.

Not only does it have six bedrooms, all of which are ensuite,

there's also an annexe used for additional guests.

Vivian has chosen a stylish minimal colour palette

with all of the downstairs walls painted white except for one wall

which is...painted black.

What did you say to your architect to end up with this fabulous

black and white palace?

-I just wanted something modern.

-Mm.

-And bright.

And my late husband, he would've liked to have built a house

and he wanted to build something modern and different so I...

That inspired me, really.

-You obviously trusted your contractors a lot.

-Absolutely.

-And your architect

and relied on them to be able to create your vision?

-I was open to suggestions.

-Right.

If I thought the suggestion was good, I went with it.

The light seems to get absolutely everywhere. Was that something you found you were

constantly changing as the build happened?

Well, I wanted something bright and airy.

I wanted a lot of light and I wanted to be able to see into every room.

You can stand at one side of the house

and look right through to the other.

Was there one thing that was quite difficult to find in black?

-Was it easy to find a black kitchen?

-Yes, it was quite easy

but I didn't decide on a black kitchen right away.

-Why, where you flirting with... Ooh, let me think about it, maybe white?

-Maybe!

-Was it an easy process, building your own home?

-Oh, yes.

-Did you enjoy it?

-I really enjoyed it. Thoroughly.

-Going to do it again?

-Absolutely.

-And what's the next one going to be like?

-Maybe more cottagey type.

Wonderful.

Well, let's go upstairs and see what Suzanne thinks

about the black and white bedrooms.

Although obviously very simple and very modern, the staircase

does nevertheless have quite a lot of Hollywood glam to it.

The way it curves round the piano like that.

Even the balustrade, the glass in the balustrade is curved as well

which is a really very, very lovely detail.

What do you think of this.

Do you think this is too simple, is this too restrained? Is it...?

I shouldn't really like it because it's very black and white.

I shouldn't but I do.

There's a lot of integrity about the space

and it is really homely as well.

And every room seems to have a uniqueness about it

even though it's not in the colour or so much the textures,

it just has a strength and integrity which I really like.

-This has also got a lot of drama.

-Yeah.

-Which I quite like. A quite rare drama.

I love this space. I love the way they've just put this staircase

and walkway straight through the space.

They've just cut across it but it's still so open.

Where is the colour? To me, everything being white or black...

Well, if we go in here, not only have we got colour

but we've got pattern too.

That is vintage Kermit. But I suppose you can get away with these very, very strong statements

-in such a simple interior.

-Absolutely.

Every single bedroom has got a different volume and space and I think they've

utilised that very well. You need very little colour in that.

The idea of the mezzanine, obviously that's a teenage bedroom dream.

-It's a great use of the volume.

-It is, isn't it?

Really works very well, just dividing this space

cos you wouldn't want it to be this entire space.

I am getting a little bit irritated by the acoustic

-cos there's something...

-There's just too many hard surfaces.

It's like a school or a station or something.

-A few softer elements would sort that.

-Especially in the bedroom.

I probably would've put carpet or a big rug, whatever,

just to absorb some of that.

The thing that rather strikes me about the house is of course

the downside of having all of that glass,

-you get a lot of light coming in but then people can really see in, can't they?

-Yeah.

This is the best elevation of this house.

This is the one that faces south so it has to have lots of glass

but then as people drive in, they see you

-sitting in the front room, that's a problem.

-Bit of a fishbowl.

-Yes.

A little bit more strategically positioned planting

-here would have helped it.

-Mm.

But conceptually, it's strong in that it's a very simple plan we have here.

Very little circulation space in it

-but any circulation space we have is dramatic.

-Mm.

Where it falls down a little bit is perhaps the detail of it.

If we look at the two gables we have here.

For me, the gable on the right is more successful where we have glass in the middle.

I like the left gable.

-Rather than the one on the left hand side.

-The left one's elegant.

If you had a vote, most people would go for the right-hand one.

-Would you indeed!

-I think so.

As the chairman of the judges, your vote counts more than most.

So a simpleness of detail like that

and when you get into the detail of the eaves,

it's a little bit too simple perhaps for this type of house.

I find the materials unusual here.

If you'd put red brick onto this house,

everything would've been dark. Dark brick, dark windows, dark roof.

So you're quite intrigued by this place?

I know they want a house that's very bright.

But sometimes it's just too much.

I think there's something a little bit American about all of this.

There's a sense of light and space.

Even details, those plants to me feel quite Californian.

Right, California, Florida, that sunroom feeling.

You can't be afraid to run around in your skivvies in this one.

No, no, no. Also I love the fact you use the S-U-N word.

Earlier, there was plenty of sun roaming in here, beautiful. The room filled with light.

The fact that that's black creates a very graphic frame for a view.

Very modern. It has that modern feel without being stark

and even without any window treatments on it, it still works.

We've got the black going right the way through cos winking at me down there...

Yes, and also the floor carries through with that rectangular line

-that wraps through.

-Oh, I see, yeah.

And she entertains a lot so she has lots of areas.

She has the formal dining here.

Which carries on into the kitchen that is all black cabinetry.

I do love the drama of it

and the heavy stainless steel handles balance out the black.

Most people would see a black, shiny kitchen and worry about handprints but...

-It's all right.

-No, it's not leaving it. It's quite brilliant.

One of the things I do love about this kitchen is it has an appliance garage.

This is where the appliances are parked.

HE CHUCKLES

So it drives in, it drives out.

And you shut it and put it away.

Obviously, Vivienne is someone that's using all these different influences

but some interesting materials.

Yes. This granite countertop is from the Mountains of Mourne.

It's also being used in the memorial at 9/11, that's where the granite is coming from, here.

-Wow, I didn't know that.

-Which is over the pond to us.

There we go, a local material with a very interesting story to tell.

And a very interesting last house for this programme

but obviously it's up to the judges

to decide which one will be House Of The Year.

Will it be Vivienne's black and white dreamhouse?

We've seen all three properties, and weren't they mouth-watering?

But what do our judges think?

Before I ungag them and allow them to express an opinion,

let's have a quick recap.

Could our winning house be House Number One?

A stunning contemporary home with more than one room with a view.

Or could it be House Number Two?

Victorian elegance in Lurgan,

a charming gentleman's residence from yesteryear.

And finally, House Number Three,

an open-plan monochromatic mansion in Portadown.

It's over to the judges.

What a great selection for our second programme.

-What do you think?

-Absolutely.

I mean, the variety is just so amazing.

So many different styles of houses.

What about this first one, I can't wait to hear what you say about this.

Contemporary coastal residence in Ballycastle. That's Alan and Jacqui.

It's so incredibly stylish, so well-finished, beautiful colours.

It looks like somebody has designed it who's got exquisite taste.

-This brought the bar way up for everyone.

-What did you like most?

I like the proportions, the scale.

They'd taken the petrol blues and greys

out of the surrounding stone and brought it inside.

That's great because the outside is what is important.

To be able to build a house on that particular site.

But when you have an outside like that... You've got the sea,

-you've got Rathlin Island.

-It was a really dramatic space.

I would think there'd be more personal touches in there,

that it would have a bit more of their own identity

and not the identity of an Armani store.

So I'm not saying it wasn't done well, it absolutely was

but it's that extra little detail you look for when you walk into a house.

I think that will come with time though. I think that will come with time.

It is a stylish house, we're agreed on that.

We disagree on a few little items of detail

but our second house is totally different. Victorian gentleman's residence.

This is in Lurgan. Pat and Eileen.

Something that's a million miles away in terms of siting

and style of building.

I have to say that this is more of what I expected

when I was coming to Northern Ireland.

-What's Irish about it?

-I expected something more old world

and very relaxed and about family but family in an old world way

and that's what this house had for me.

What I liked about this house was it was a great example of

a Victorian gentleman's residence in an area which, around it,

is very run down and I'm so glad to see those houses are still

looking so good and are lived in.

Externally, this is quite an exuberant house.

-Victorian, all the details with it.

-That addition was great.

The extension was great. It does two things.

It continues the style of the house

but it also forms a space in the garden and the gardens in this house are excellent.

I wish they'd done something different on the pathways.

-I'd agree. Gravel, stone or something natural.

-That would've been great.

Also some of the concrete details are not entirely appropriate.

That wallpaper in the foyer, it really pushed that house forward when you walk into it.

The brick, the stained-glass, the leaded glass.

All those elements could've been made more a feature of

and less actually of the interior design.

-It needed to be simplified and pared down.

-OK.

Our last house then, the monochromatic new-build in Portadown.

What I liked about Vivienne's house was it really it suited her lifestyle.

It's not the most practical of houses cos it had the black gloss kitchen.

It was very monochromatic, very black and white

but a real nice sense of open space.

The bedrooms were very airy and contemporary with a nice blast of colour.

It was too bland downstairs for me.

I did like the open space, that big kitchen area

that goes into the dining and family room, that worked really well.

She's put it together herself as well. She's worked with the builder.

There's a lot of personal involvement.

To take on that kind of project is really a big task.

This is what's great about this particular show.

Three totally different houses.

Anyone could do well in the final, we have to wait.

Lots to think about there then.

And join us next time cos we'll have three more

astonishing properties for our judges to ponder on

as we continue our quest

to find Northern Ireland's House Of The Year.