In a new property series, design expert and TV personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen leads the search to find Northern Ireland’s House Of The Year.
This six part series, airing on BBC iPlayer and BBC Northern Ireland, showcases 15 very different homes each with very different stories, competing for one of five places in the grand final where they could be crowned House Of Year.
Laurence says:
“One of the big things about this new series is the fact we have been incredibly diverse with the housing stock, and it is not just about that one glass box on a cliff that I think people associate with modern property programmes.
“What really matters is how much heart and soul our owners have poured in to making their house a home.”
Laurence is joined by three expert judges who will decide which homes make the final shortlist. They are award winning architect Jane Larmour, James Fairley who runs an interior design practice with his partner, and Patricia McGinnis who, alongside her sister owns a Belfast based interiors boutique.
Throughout the series, Laurence and the judges visit a variety of properties, including a Victorian terrace, a new build bungalow, a courtyard cottage that has been reimagined with accessible design at its heart, and a rental property where the tenants have added their own unique decorative style.
From ‘colour drenching’ to ‘wrinkly casualness’ our judges reveal the trends that, in their opinion, can make or break a space and Laurence meets the occupants to chat about their own unique design choices that have made their house a home.
In episode one, the judges are tasked with choosing between a bohemian bungalow where the owner has brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to Lisburn, a quirky family home in the Belfast Hills that houses an eclectic mix of upcycled and vintage furniture, and a lovingly restored 1850s villa in Holywood, County Down.
Later episodes also feature homes in Bangor, Ballymena, Belfast, and counties Armagh, Tyrone and Down.
House Of The Year starts Monday 23 September on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer at 8:30pm.
The first five episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer after episode one airs on Monday 23 September.
The grand final will broadcast Monday 28 October on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer.