Inside the seven stylish homes hoping to be crowned Ireland’s Home of the Year
THESE are the seven awe-inspiring homes that are in the running to be crowned Ireland's Home of the Year 2022.
Judges Hugh Wallace, Amanda Bone and Sara Cosgrove have travelled all over the country to see some of the most impressive abodes.
From cool cottages to remarkable renovations, the judges whittled the contenders down just seven.
And on tomorrow's show, the trio will be in Palmerstown in Co. Kildare for the finale of Home of the Year 2022.
The worthy finalists include Tony McManus's zen new build in Co Kerry, which was inspired by his time living in LA; Michelle and Rob McNeil's renovated 1920s family home in Belfast; and Aoife and Gareth Tolerton's modern new build in Co. Down.
Martin and Saoirse O'Dwyer impressed the judges with their unique home in Co Sligo. Their renovated 1870s cottage with barrel roof extension featured an eclectic mix of antique and modern furniture.
Sarah Duggan and Ian McNamee's Dublin minimalist renovation won the judges' praise, as did the monochrome interiors with pops of colours.
HOME INTERIORS
Judge Amanda said: “I think this is a brilliant example of what contemporary minimalist design can add to a period design,” says Amanda.
Sinead Murphy's stylish city home in Cork impressed the judges, not least because of its smart storage solutions. Sinead's dad carried out much of the renovation on the protected facade.
Judge Sara said of the home: "It’s a lesson in how to maximise a cosy footprint."
Finally, Kate and Shane Byrne's 150-year-old farmhouse with modern extension in Co Wicklow also topped its heat in the RTE series.
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The property has been in Shane’s family for decades but the couple renovated in 2018 by knocking through all the smaller rooms and adding an extension to create an open plan living space.
Judge and architect Amanda said; "I found it uplifting and it just felt like a really comfortable family home. But, I did have some reservations and I wished they pushed for a modern kitchen.”
Tony and Imogen McManus, Kerry
Tony McManus lives in this new build home in Co. Kerry with his wife Imogen and their son.
Tony is originally from Kerry but lived in L.A for a number of years. A few years ago, the family came to Ireland for a visit and after their holiday they decided to make a home here.
They found a site and set about creating a house with a traditional exterior but a very modern and contemporary feel inside.
The family love the sense of light and space throughout their home.
Michelle and Rob McNeil, Belfast
Michelle and Rob McNeil live with their two sons in a renovated 1920s house in Belfast.
When they purchased the property, they undertook a major renovation project and, as the home is in a conservation area, they had to extend and renovate, while maintaining the original front exterior of the home.
The couple love the functionality of the family home they have created and how it is stylish but still homely and cosy.
Aoife and Gareth Tolerton, Co. Down
Aoife and Gareth live in a modernist new build in Co. Down along with their children.
The house is an upside-down home, so the bedrooms are at the bottom and the living area is on top.
Aoife, as an artist and graphic designer, took over the interiors and created a modern, minimalist, clean look which is softened by rustic elements of wood throughout.
The couple love the modernist, 1960s, rustic, vibe that they’ve been able to create in their home.
Martin and Saoirse O’Dwyer, Sligo
Martin and Saoirse live in a renovated 1870’s cottage with barrel roof extension in Sligo along with their twin boys.
In 2014 they were on the look-out for a coastal family home when they came across a cottage in need of renovation by the sea in Sligo.
They turned the dwelling into a family home and later added a barrel roof extension with an upstairs open plan area that is situated to make the most of the front facing coastal views.
The interiors were decorated by Saoirse in an eclectic style and combine the antique furnishings in the original dwelling with modern furniture in the new extension.
Sarah Duggan and Ian McNamee, Dublin
When Sarah and her fiancé saw this property they were able to see the renovation potential. They stripped everything out, reconfigured the stairs and raised the ceiling up to the roof apex to allow light to flood into the home.
Sarah, who works in fashion, was inspired to decorate her home in a minimalist style, using clean silhouettes and lux fabrics to create a bright, airy and calm atmosphere.
Kate and Shane Byrne, Wicklow
Kate, her husband Shane and their son, live in a 150-year-old farmhouse with modern extension in Co Wicklow.
The property has been in Shane’s family for decades but when they moved in, in 2018, they knocked through all the smaller rooms and added an extension to create an open plan living space with lots of natural light.
The family love the sense of history in their home and that their son is the 4th generation of Byrne to grow up there and that, in time, it’ll be a place for his own family.
Sinead Murphy, Cork
Sinead Murphy lives in a stylish city home with protected façade in Cork.
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When Sinead viewed the home it was in need of a full renovation but she fell in love with it. The building has a protected façade so the work was completed from within with the help of her dad.
Sinead furnished the property with a mix of 70s, Scandi and art deco furnishings inspired by her travels in New York.