House that David built in Cork is first 'Home of the Year' finalist

'This house is completely me,' says the owner of a residence that wowed the judges in the popular television competition

Tue, 16 Feb, 2021 - 21:00

Eve Kelliher, Home Editor

It ticked all the boxes for location, views, light and layout, and a Cork house was the unanimous choice as the first Home of the Year 2021 finalist when the seventh series started tonight.

David O’Brien put a lot of hard work into the two-year creation of his modern bespoke home in the countryside, completing the selfbuild with the help of his brother. “I wanted to build something that was really unique to me,” he told us in tonight’s show.

“Black is my favourite colour so I decided to build a black house.”

As architect and longtime Home of the Year judge Hugh Wallace noted approaching the statement residence, it looks like a modern take on a traditional barn.

The “bones of the house” are very contemporary, added David, pointing to the steel-cladding corrugated surround.

But don’t for a moment think that this mysterious masterpiece was gloomy inside. “From the outside, the house looks very dark — the windows are very small, but that’s for privacy,” said the owner.

The moment the camera swept us inside along with the three judges we had to agree with David that he has ensured the interior was “as bright and open as possible”.

One of the RTÉ series’ two new judges, architect Amanda Bone, praised the structure as “a really interesting take on Irish vernacular architecture”.

There’s just so much to adore in this house, it would make you want to leap through the TV screen and curl up like a cat on the homeowner’s favourite perch, the Chesterfield in the living room.

“I’ve great memories of growing up around here and from here I can see my nanna’s house through the fields,” said David.

Hugh enjoyed the “lovely connections through those big windows out to the garden”.

“You’ve got that lovely inside-outside vibe going on,” he said.

“The stove is at eye level which is great and there’s a collection of amazing furniture which really shouldn’t work in the space but it sits perfectly.”

Ah yes. David has been collecting vintage and antique furniture pieces for years.

One of the most unique design choices is the use of an 1800s piano as a kitchen island.

David bought his piano 10 years ago and aimed to use it as a kitchen island feature.

“Each piece has a long history and the piano is probably one of my favourite pieces,” said David. “I bought that about 10 years ago with the idea that it would be my kitchen island. Everyone thought I was a bit mad at the time.”

Ha! Well, I bet they were humming quite a different tune tonight as they watched the judges circle it appreciatively.

Interior designer Suzie McAdam and fellow new judge Amanda chorused their approval at the “constant” flow of light into the space and Amanda was taken by the dual aspect of the kitchen, adding: “I think this is one of the most creative kitchens I have ever seen.”

Amanda added: “This is a really good example of how a neutral background allows you to furnish a space as you wish.”

Hugh deemed the design “special and intriguing”.

Amanda noted that it got everything right “in terms of location, views, light and layout", adding: “It was a beautiful place to be.”

As for David’s own verdict? “I would say this house is completely me,” he said. ”I would say when I was building it originally and said I was building a black house people would say, ‘Are you crazy?’ but it was something I could visualise, and I knew it was going to work. I love it.”

The house earned an impressive score of 28.

https://www.instagram.com/newbuildireland/

CLARE FARMHOUSE

Earlier we had had gander around interior designer Trish O’Brien’s early 1900s farmhouse in Co Clare, which she had turned into what she described as the perfect home for her family.

She designed a modern extension with an architect that linked to the original farmhouse.

They gutted the farmhouse back to its original state so they could keep the traditional exterior.

The extension is very modern with open-plan spaces downstairs and has a glass link to the original house.

The home has four bedrooms and was a big passion project for Trish. The interior style is bright and modern with a mix of textures.

The judges gave it a score of 24.

https://www.instagram.com/trishobrieninteriors/?hl=en

SUBURBAN WESTMEATH CHOICE

House two was Ediana and Kevin Dolan’s County Westmeath suburban home.

The couple was very hands-on when transforming their three-bedroom semi-detached residence.

They put their own stamp on the house to suit their family’s needs by doing all of the work themselves and on a budget.

They were brave with their design choices and wanted their home to reflect their personalities. They describe their style as modern with a hint of older influences and Ediana loves to upcycle.