0:00:04 > 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.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19But who's going to be making those all-important decisions?
0:00:19 > 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 > 0:00:32International interior designer, Suzanne Garuda.
0:00:32 > 0:00:38And they're joined by Manhattan-based interior and product designer, Michael Tavano.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41The best part of being a judge for House Of The Year is that
0:00:41 > 0:00:47I get to in indulge my inner voyeurism and see how people live and see these wonderful homes.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51What I would like people to take away from the third series of House Of The Year
0:00:51 > 0:00:55is that they can dream like the dreamers we have on this show
0:00:55 > 0:00:58to create something new, something a little bit better.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02Every house has been so unique and I'd really like people
0:01:02 > 0:01:05to celebrate the great wealth of architects, tradesmen,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08craftsmen, designers that we have in Northern Ireland.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11So, there we are, three super-stylish judges,
0:01:11 > 0:01:1512 absolutely stunning properties
0:01:15 > 0:01:17but only one winner.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19So, let the games begin.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51As we move seamlessly towards fulfilling our quest to find a winner,
0:01:51 > 0:01:56prepare yourselves to meet our last super-stylish contenders,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59any one of which could be House Of The Year.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03We're off to the north-west to a country barn conversion
0:02:03 > 0:02:08which is full of charm, personality and most importantly, fun.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Or could the winning house be in Omagh?
0:02:10 > 0:02:16A modern, friendly, down-to-earth family house with a touch of the 1930s.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20Or will it be our first house, here on the north coast?
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Wonderful sea views, romantic, rugged walks by the beach
0:02:24 > 0:02:26and easy-going access to the golf course.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Sounds like the perfect place to build a holiday home
0:02:29 > 0:02:32but when our homeowners saw what they'd created,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36they decided to move here full time because it was so good, and retire.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44This six-bedroom seaside retreat is home to Myrtle and Leslie Millar.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46It's a multi-generational house,
0:02:46 > 0:02:50with guest rooms for the grandchildren and their parents.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53They've also cleverly and very thoughtfully included a lift
0:02:53 > 0:02:56directly into one of the bedrooms for Myrtle's mum.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Colours and the interior design were all chosen by Myrtle herself
0:03:00 > 0:03:04and Leslie designed and made the steel and marble staircase.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08This impressive couple have been really hands-on
0:03:08 > 0:03:10in creating the home of their dreams.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13So, this actually started as a holiday home, didn't it?
0:03:13 > 0:03:18But you saw what you'd done and decided you were going to move there permanently.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20We wanted a home that was going to be for us
0:03:20 > 0:03:23as well as for my mother, who is 90.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25She comes to stay now and again.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30Also for our children and our grandchildren.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33So, putting that all together was a starting block.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36So, thinking of all the uses and ways round that.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39You've made something really very elegant, very sophisticated.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Was that a real joy, to be able to express your personalities?
0:03:42 > 0:03:44For me, it was.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48The bathrooms, I think, were the part that I really liked best.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52What's lovely, it's a modern house, but it's not that modern cliche
0:03:52 > 0:03:55of everything being white and everything being plain.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59You've got some wonderful colours and patterns in each room.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Turquoise is my favourite colour, that's the one I've used the most.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07- You've red in here and lots of colour in the bedrooms. - Leslie chose the colour in here.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Well, downstairs, we'd gone for cream
0:04:09 > 0:04:11and were heading that direction again.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I always loved a really nice, strong red suite,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16so it got the thumbs up.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18- What, from the boss?- Yes!
0:04:18 > 0:04:20LAUGHTER
0:04:25 > 0:04:28I always think that in America, this is the kind of decorating
0:04:28 > 0:04:31that puts the bella into Bel-Air.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33In fact, it's more like some kind of glossy soap opera.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37There you are - Krystle Carrington, but from Northern Ireland.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41- Looking very glamorous and glossy in here.- It is absolutely fabulous.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46It is just so sophisticated - the colour, the detail.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48It could be a show home, but it's not. I love that.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53I love the fact that you've got these very personal paintings and artefacts and antiques.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57There's obviously personality going on, but the engineering is amazing.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Absolutely. And I think because Leslie's an engineer, he's understood
0:05:01 > 0:05:04that design and construction all work together hand in hand
0:05:04 > 0:05:08and that's why this place is not superficial.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11It's been beautifully designed with a lot of practicality
0:05:11 > 0:05:15as well as fantastic finishes, amazing colours.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20Exquisite. This sort of turquoise-y, peacock-y...
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Teal. Teal, darling.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26..really lifts everything and stops it being a kind of
0:05:26 > 0:05:28smudgy mush of oatmeal, which is very important.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32What's lovely about this house is it looks quite cream but actually, it's shaded.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37We've got at least eight shades of cream going on here, which works really well.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Myrtle is as obsessed by the finishing and colour
0:05:41 > 0:05:44as Lesley is by the engineering and the design detail.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Perfect couple. Then we've got this almost traditional snug, with the wood burner.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52The fire, I think, is absolutely beautiful. It's perfect in this space.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Again, beautifully engineered with the curve that suits the table,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58which suits the chairs.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Incidentally, the chairs were bought first, kitchen designed around them. I like that.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Of course having said that Suzanne looked like Krystle from Dynasty,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19I should have said she looked like someone from Dallas because we've got a Ewing!
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Not Bobby, but Des.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25Now, there's a lot that I see inside that reminds me
0:06:25 > 0:06:28of those very, very glamorous, very glitzy American soap operas.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32- What about the outside? - The thing about the exterior is that first impressions
0:06:32 > 0:06:35are the most important thing in a house.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38You make your mind up within a few seconds and, unfortunately,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41it doesn't look that impressive from the outside.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44I think the thing that makes the outside interesting is the fact
0:06:44 > 0:06:49that you see so much of the inside but not really the architecture.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53No, this house is not about the architecture,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56it's about the way that it's organised on the site.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00It's got six bedrooms. The decision to reduce the level by 1.5 metres
0:07:00 > 0:07:02means they can add an extra floor in
0:07:02 > 0:07:07and it also means you're not going up quite as high to get into the house at start of it.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Those elements are worked out extremely well.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13They've created a lot of space, but they use every inch of it.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17That's what's good about it, there is no wasted space.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20I keep going back to how clever the plan is.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29I am more than a little in love
0:07:29 > 0:07:33with this curved glass screen on the staircase and its relationship to the chandelier,
0:07:33 > 0:07:38because that kind of detail is incredibly difficult to pull off because it's so sophisticated.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Sophisticated is a very good word here.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Oh, you can colour me surprised.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- What, with felt-tips?- When we drove up here, I did NOT expect this.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51- I had to take the elevator up. - You see, that's very, very glamour-puss, isn't it?
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Ah! The sleeping stairwell, the way it goes up to the third floor
0:07:55 > 0:08:00and the colourful bedrooms - the pink girl's bedroom up there, so whimsical.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03This must be an antidote to your homesickness as it feels very American.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- Is this where I'm staying? - Yes, if only!
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Well, the use of colour in here, this aubergine,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13she's done this in each room, she's picked a colour.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16I've never seen a night stand upholstered.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- They've got little crystal handles.- Bling!
0:08:19 > 0:08:20They've got bling.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23If I was shown this, I'd assume it was a professional job,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27I'd assume it was a decorator, an architect, it was an engineer.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Actually, it's a couple creating their own home. It's a masterpiece.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34It is a masterpiece. The base of the home is beige.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39Many different colours of beige, but then she's used colour properly in the pops of it.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42They don't only use it, they live in it.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44An astonishing start to today's programme.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Let's check out house number two.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Even when it's just a couple of houses down the street,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00moving house can be traumatic.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04So, imagine installing yourself in a disused barn
0:09:04 > 0:09:06in the middle of a field?
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Could have been a nightmare scenario for our next homeowners
0:09:08 > 0:09:11but I'm pleased to report a fairy-tale ending
0:09:11 > 0:09:13because this is their dream home.
0:09:17 > 0:09:22This barn conversion in Claudy is home to Lesley and Craig Jefferson.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Craig not only helped design the project,
0:09:25 > 0:09:30he also built it and he incorporated many of the barn's original features
0:09:30 > 0:09:31as well as adding a few interesting,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34rather quirky details to this fun family home.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39The round tower houses a spiral staircase,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41which leads down to the ground floor of the old barn
0:09:41 > 0:09:44and to the bedroom accommodation.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Craig originally bought the tumbledown barn
0:09:47 > 0:09:50with the intention of restoring it and then selling it on.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54But as work progressed, he fell in love with its country charm.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Lesley, on the other hand, took a lot more convincing.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00You come tripping down this muddy drive in your Jimmy Choos
0:10:00 > 0:10:05and you see this big, old, wrecked, old, stony, old barn.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09- You must have been delighted. - No. I wasn't moving to it.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13I didn't want to move to the country at that time, no.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- We put her on the kitchen, says, "Do the kitchen, now."- Mmm.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21And when she started the kitchen she got bitten a bit, then, so.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24What's the thing that really sets this place apart for you?
0:10:24 > 0:10:27For me, I love watching the birds and the wee squirrels
0:10:27 > 0:10:31It's amazing sitting watching them and hearing them in the mornings.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34And if it's a good day or a good night, we would sit out and...
0:10:34 > 0:10:37And we'd have a wee card school for the doghouse nights. Poker classics.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41And so what kind of style do you think sums you up?
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Um...plain and simple?
0:10:44 > 0:10:48- Really?- Mmm. Yeah.- I... You don't think there's something a bit more,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- sort of, shiny and a bit more glamorous to it?- Well, maybe.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52But I don't like a lot of fuss.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Yeah. So, you like elegant? Let's go for that.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Yes. Different, wee, quirky things, wee different things.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Everywhere you look, it's about, really,
0:11:01 > 0:11:03- 100% having a good time.- Yeah.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06How would you describe your style? Don't say plain and simple.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08I'm not going to buy it from you, either.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Ah, I love the old stuff, I think a lot of the old buildings
0:11:11 > 0:11:14around the country that are lost, they're tumbled,
0:11:14 > 0:11:15they can be used, you know.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Our architect was actually very good on it, along with us, you know.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Between the two of us, it was a joint venture with us.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25When I seen it at the start, that's what I pictured, to be honest.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33There's obviously a real advantage
0:11:33 > 0:11:37to having all the living area up here because the views are amazing.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Straight the way across the valley.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42The views are so, you know, lovely and green out there
0:11:42 > 0:11:45and then you come in here and it's just incredibly vibrant.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- It's all black and red.- Yeah. - I mean, that's the surprise.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Even the AGA's black. Now, that's a new one on me.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54But it is a real contrast of materials.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Yes, you have the very contemporary. The black gloss, the black AGA.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02This incredible bar, but then you've got all the timber and the rustic elements.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04And, indeed, the slogans.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07I don't think I've ever seen quite so many slogans in one space.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11I find this so energetic, this space. You know, there's so much going on.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15I think it's very chatty, it's very gregarious,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18you get a feeling that they do party hard.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Yep. There's lots of really interesting elements in it, though.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26You know, the beams, that wheel that's been converted into a light,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28they do work very well, somehow.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31But what about...? Now, this is, obviously a massive contrast
0:12:31 > 0:12:34to the fact that we're in a reclaimed agricultural space
0:12:34 > 0:12:39and we've got these big red sofas, these, sort of, poppy motifs.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41There's something quite 1970s' rock and roll about it.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out that they, you know,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- they'd done a bit of rock and roll in their time.- Yeah.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51I think, again, this is a reflection of their personality, absolutely.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55This is a real fun house, and that, it really suits that, you know?
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Right. Very energetic upstairs,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Michael is downstairs looking at the sleeping accommodation.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Come join me on the spiral staircase.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18This turret does, in fact, have quite a modern fairytale feel to it,
0:13:18 > 0:13:22and they've used it to display all these mementos.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26From their round-the-world trips and somehow that seems very right,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- you coming down out of the castle. - Am I Prince Charming?
0:13:29 > 0:13:33- You are charming.- There we are. - So, we're in the hallway now,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35which is up to the master bedroom
0:13:35 > 0:13:39- and the bedrooms which were the stables.- So, this is the old bit.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42This is, this is, and we have The Piggery which we just went past
0:13:42 > 0:13:45and now we're going into The Shed.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49There's a deliberately comedic thing here. This is so not a shed.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- Look at it.- No, it's not a shed. - It's a boudoir.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55It is a boudoir and a very feminine boudoir.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Well, now, this is something I struggle with slightly,
0:13:58 > 0:14:03because Craig is obviously a man's man, he's a constructor,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07he's a builder. How comfortable can he be amongst all that fluffy...?
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Well, we all have a feminine side to us, I think that's it.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12- That's what it's about? - Yeah, we all do.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15I think he's comfortable in here because it's a comfortable room,
0:14:15 > 0:14:19the view is spectacular. It's almost like a pastoral oil painting,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22which is really my favourite thing about the room.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24They did have a bit of fun with the chandelier
0:14:24 > 0:14:26with the fairies hanging on it, so...
0:14:26 > 0:14:29I would think there's a very high fairy dust hazard in here.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- But what about handbag trees, are they going to catch on?- I...
0:14:32 > 0:14:35- Well, these are yours, aren't they? - They so aren't.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37I would worry if I had that many handbags.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- Come on, I would carry that. Wouldn't you carry that?- No.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42- It's quite lovely.- For a start, it would clash with my face.
0:14:49 > 0:14:55So, Des, as an architectural statement, how do you feel this kind of conversion works?
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Well, the important thing about this is the fact that it is a conversion,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02that it's not just a house built in the corner of a field
0:15:02 > 0:15:07and it's how it fits in to the surroundings that's important.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10I love the fact that it connects with the house across the road.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15The road runs between the two, the old farms used to straddle the road,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17and it's great to keep that sort of stuff in this country.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21What about the turret? That's the most eye-catching feature.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Do you think that it works with the rest of the building?
0:15:24 > 0:15:26The part I couldn't understand is,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28the planners had been very particular
0:15:28 > 0:15:31about what can be done with the existing building.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34They won't allow window sizes to be changed, but they allow this turret,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37which is a major feature, to be put on to it.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40The turret works very well in terms of circulation,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43cos it means the staircase does not have to be within the building,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46where space is tight, so, practically it works well.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48I think, maybe, it's a bit too strong for the house.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51It takes away from the simplicity of the barn.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55The outside seems a bit grown-up, compared to what goes on inside.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Yeah, it is grown-up, you know, the zinc roofs and all this funky stuff
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- and then you go in and it's... - And it's all, kind of, jazz hands.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05I like it. I must say, I prefer the funky bit
0:16:05 > 0:16:10- that they have inside. I think it works better.- Excellent.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13So there we are, house number two, good taste on the outside,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15good fun on the inside, an exuberant conversion.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17On to house number three.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28Our third and final property is set in the leafy lanes of Omagh,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31surrounded by traditional houses
0:16:31 > 0:16:34built in the time-honoured traditional style.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37But this house is a bit of a newcomer.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43When Eamonn McMullen was looking for a dream home with his wife, Louise,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46his search took him back to the street where he was born.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50Their 1930s'-inspired new-build sits on a long, narrow site
0:16:50 > 0:16:54and has been cleverly landscaped to produce a multi-level garden.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59Everything has been designed with practical family living in mind.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01And a large open-plan room incorporates the kitchen,
0:17:01 > 0:17:05dining and sitting areas, as well as a children's' play space.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09This, to me, is the ideal family home,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and, in fact, weirdly, it IS your family home, isn't it?
0:17:12 > 0:17:17- But it's not this house. - It was next door.- Next door.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19I was born and brought up there.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23So, you're having a look at hubby's childhood home and you think,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26"What an absolutely fabulous place to bring up children,"
0:17:26 > 0:17:30and lo and behold there's a house for sale next door.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- Mmm-hmm.- What was it like? - It was an old 1930s'-style house
0:17:33 > 0:17:36with a lovely big, long back garden
0:17:36 > 0:17:38that appealed to me because of having the three girls.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Initially, we thought we would buy it
0:17:41 > 0:17:45and knew that it would need some renovation and possibly an extension,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47but when our architect looked at it,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51he advised us that we would have been better to contemplate
0:17:51 > 0:17:54knocking the original house down and starting again.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59So many people would love to be able to start from scratch
0:17:59 > 0:18:02and make a family home completely designed around
0:18:02 > 0:18:07what everybody in the family expects to have from their home.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09We wanted a space where everybody could be,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12a large kitchen where children tend to want to play,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16and for us to have friends round, and one of the other things
0:18:16 > 0:18:19was not to have too many rooms, rooms that aren't used.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22- There you are with three lovely daughters.- Yes.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26- Where's all the pink? - Pink's up the stairs.- Is it?
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- You'll see a lot of pink. - You see? They've got taste.
0:18:29 > 0:18:30They've got very good taste.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38When they built family houses back in the '30s,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42they often were terribly generous with the plot,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45and this is a really magnificent amount of green space, isn't it?
0:18:45 > 0:18:49It's great, yeah, but the problem is it's a higher level than the house.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53- Well, yeah, yeah. This is it, isn't it?- Garden's here,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56house down there. This is why this works so well.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00It's how you deal with the change of level. There has been terraces,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02there's been a lot of planting in it.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06It's been broken up and then the path leads you up to it very softly.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10So, that makes it all tie together well with the house.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12It's a polite house, I think.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15It is, it's great to have something that's unrestrained
0:19:15 > 0:19:17and not trying to be the biggest show in town.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20The windows are important because they continue
0:19:20 > 0:19:25that unusual horizontal fenestration, but also the colour of them.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27It gives... Usually houses in this area
0:19:27 > 0:19:30can be a little bit bland, where there's so many greys in it,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32this introduces a little bit of colour to it
0:19:32 > 0:19:36and brightens the whole thing up along with the texture of the walls.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Basically, this is arts and crafts architecture, isn't it?
0:19:39 > 0:19:43This is a style that started in the 1860s, 1870s
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and it's still going strong. People still like it.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48There's something very homely about it,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52something very friendly and understated and relaxed,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54and that's why it keeps coming up, it keeps coming back.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Obviously, Louise and Eamonn have built this from scratch,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05but they've left walls as if there's almost been
0:20:05 > 0:20:08a series of knock-throughs, and I really like that
0:20:08 > 0:20:11because it does create these different areas, doesn't it?
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- These different zones?- It does.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15This house is made for living for a family.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17A "great room", we'd call it.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21It's funny, about kitchen design, and I think it comes from America,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24is you get these very eye-catching island units
0:20:24 > 0:20:27which I think people have taken from cookery shows.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30They want to stand there, address the family
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- and tell everybody how the chopping's going.- It's convenient,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37and she has all the conveniences, you know, the drawers that pull out
0:20:37 > 0:20:40which are really great for storing and easy to get to.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43She has the pantry cabinets, just perfect,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46and the American-style refrigerator.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49They have the counter for the kids to dine at.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54She does cook a lot, so, you know, the stove is perfect for her,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57she has the great little details where...
0:20:57 > 0:20:59For the plugs.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02- That's very Thunderbirds. - Isn't that great?
0:21:02 > 0:21:05What about colour? What about decoration?
0:21:05 > 0:21:07She's done a great job with colour.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09She's not afraid of it, she's been using it.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14This room itself is more browns and, you know, very, very liveable.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18Cos with three girls running around the house, you know, it's...
0:21:18 > 0:21:21You're going to get messy. So it really doesn't show dirt as much.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25But upstairs she's done some great colours. Great, great colours.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Well, definitely there's a real sense of,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30sort of, comfy, cosy family-orientated fun here.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Bit of a thumbs up from Michael,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35let's catch up with Suzanna upstairs and look at some of those colours.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Course, when you build and design your own home,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45you can have whatever you want.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47I really like this corridor as a space,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51but I particularly like the fact that Louise has obviously said,
0:21:51 > 0:21:52"Maximise the storage.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55"Let's keep the pink tide at bay behind cupboard doors."
0:21:55 > 0:21:59It's nice, though, that she's used mirror to make those cupboards
0:21:59 > 0:22:01look as if they're additional windows.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03This feels very different in here, Suzanna.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05This is a very different character.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Yeah, well, the bedroom is the escape, isn't it?
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Especially when you have small children,
0:22:10 > 0:22:12you want it to seem airy, bright.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15You want to colours to be restful and relaxing,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17and there is that real sense of space.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19I know Louise wanted this room to feel
0:22:19 > 0:22:22as if it was part of the greenery and shrubbery outside,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24and she's succeeded in that.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27I mean, it has worked, very, very well. It's very calming.
0:22:27 > 0:22:28But there is a bit of glam,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30we've got the feature wall with the wallpaper,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33we've got the bed linen and co-ordinating curtains,
0:22:33 > 0:22:36so, it's not plain by any means, is it?
0:22:36 > 0:22:38No, it's not plain, but I think
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Louise probably could have pushed it a little bit further
0:22:41 > 0:22:43with a little bit more contrast
0:22:43 > 0:22:46and, again, you've got this idea of things being standard, you know,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49standard-sized poles, standard height...
0:22:49 > 0:22:51That's something I wish we could change, cos, to me,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55the joy is you hang curtains the full height of a wall
0:22:55 > 0:22:58and you get that drama, you get that vertical detail.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02We're all different heights, different sizes, we're, you know...
0:23:02 > 0:23:05We do it with our clothes, why don't we do it with our curtains?
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Don't you think that this year, we are definitely seeing more pattern?
0:23:09 > 0:23:12You are rubbing off on the planet, I can tell you now.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- People are being more brave. - I don't use that much pattern,
0:23:14 > 0:23:19but used in the right way, tone, texture, colour, all those things,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22they add interest, and I think people should be brave about it.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27Right, so that was the last of our three houses for today's programme,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29but the question on everyone's lips is
0:23:29 > 0:23:31will one of them be House Of The Year?
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Well, there we are, the last three houses in this year's series,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54and weren't they astonishing?
0:23:54 > 0:23:58Before we let the judges do what they do best, which is to judge,
0:23:58 > 0:23:59let's have a quick recap.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Could our winner be house number one?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05The stunning seaside home in Portstewart
0:24:05 > 0:24:07with views over the golf course.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Or perhaps house number two, a fun-filled and charming
0:24:10 > 0:24:13country barn conversion in the northwest.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Or the last of our houses, house number three,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22a family house set in the leafy lanes of Omagh.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26It's time to find out what our judges think.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35So, let's take a look at the last of our finalists.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39Our first house is the stunning seaside home in Portstewart.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43- Suzanne? Did you like it? - I was so impressed.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I would never have put that house with that couple,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50but it was glamorous, it was really chic, it was colourful.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54He's got the engineering background, knows how everything works,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57and she's put a lot of time, research and personality into the design.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Is that the sort of house you'd expect to see by the coast?
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Well, not by the coast. To me, this house was like a quartz rock.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06You'd see the, kind of, the dull rock
0:25:06 > 0:25:09and then you'd break it open and it's the jewels inside.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13She made a decision of how she wanted to do the house and she stuck to it.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16They have a six-bedroom house there
0:25:16 > 0:25:19that has got every piece of accommodation you could require.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24It's got a nice private back garden, sheltered from the sun and it's got sea views. On a very tight plot.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26It is very cleverly produced.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30These houses are difficult to design because all you want at the front
0:25:30 > 0:25:33is glass and sometimes it's difficult to fenestrate that.
0:25:33 > 0:25:38But if they'd softened the landscape, perhaps, that's something that could have helped.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41But apart from that, very successful. Very successful.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45So, the second house is a real fun house,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49a country barn conversion in Claudy and this is Leslie and Craig.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Right, to me this was the opposite.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57The outside was pretty spectacular, then when I went inside -
0:25:57 > 0:26:01fairies and... It was very sweet, it really reflected them,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03because love the countryside...
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Suzanne, do you see it?
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Yeah, I mean, again, what really impressed me about it
0:26:08 > 0:26:11was it was an old barn and Craig is a real craftsman,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14he's a joiner, he's third-generation builder.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16He saw that building, fell in love with it
0:26:16 > 0:26:20and between them as a couple they've really breathed new life into that
0:26:20 > 0:26:24and an enormous amount of playfulness and fun.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28That big bar down the centre, It's definitely a party house.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30- It is a party house. - And it is exuberant.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33They've done very well with their planning
0:26:33 > 0:26:36because it's the sort of building, first of all, that should be used
0:26:36 > 0:26:40and it's difficult to use because it's so close to the road.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43We can't underestimate the constraints they had to work with
0:26:43 > 0:26:45and they've ended up with something that is
0:26:45 > 0:26:47not for everybody but has got a certain flamboyance.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50It's special, it really is special.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Next we have, this is our very last house,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57it's a modern, family-focused home in Omagh, this is Louise and Eamonn.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Suzanne, you had a good look round that one.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03In terms of the architecture and the interior design,
0:27:03 > 0:27:04I think it was very safe.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07I think maybe they played, maybe, a little too safe,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10but I'd say that was to do, maybe, with the location
0:27:10 > 0:27:12- and just their lifestyle. - The one point about that is,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16every house in the street cannot be the feature.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20I thought the layout was great. The layout was really great inside.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23I loved the way the rooms flowed, it did have a really nice flow to it
0:27:23 > 0:27:26and structurally, it had great integrity.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29I agree that it had really good balance to it and good form.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32- It's a good, honest family property. - It really is
0:27:32 > 0:27:34and that's a great way of saying it, it really is.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36And they've done it themselves.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39It's comfortable, practical, the colours are good.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41She did a good job with the colours.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Those girls' bedrooms were adorable in pink.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47- And their master bedroom was nice. - And the garden and the connection.
0:27:47 > 0:27:48That garden, that was a big garden.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51But such a homely home a very practical family home,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55- and really conveyed a real sense of warmth.- It really was warm.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58That's it, I mean, there has been so many great examples
0:27:58 > 0:28:00of a really high standard of houses this year,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03it's going to be an absolutely great final.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Well, wow, what an extraordinary series,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10and we've now seen all 12 of this year's entries
0:28:10 > 0:28:15any one of which could be named as House Of The Year 2012.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Join us next week when our judges have the unenviable task
0:28:18 > 0:28:21of deciding which one of those fabulous properties
0:28:21 > 0:28:24will be named as House Of The Year.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27We'll be in Belfast for our grand final so join us then.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:42 > 0:28:45E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk