Room to Improve review: No place like home for Blessington family as Dermot Bannon visits 

'A couple of years ago if someone had said we’d be moving into a Dermot Bannon-designed house, I wouldn't have believed it' 

The living area in the renovated house at Blessington, Co Wicklow. Picture: Ruth Maria Photography

It's unusual to see a building project tick the boxes for the homeowners, their children and their parents  — as well as please the builder, architect and quantity surveyor. 

But that seems to have been the miracle that's occurred in Blessington, Co Wicklow, as Hilary and Paul Fairbrother move back into Hilary’s home following Dermot Bannon and his team’s complete energy upgrade and renovation of the property on this week's Room to Improve.

The living space after. Picture: RTE

Hilary and Paul, along with their newborn Mia, Evie, 20 months, and Finn, three, are enjoying some intergenerational living for now, as they share the spa-like space with the former homeowners, Hilary’s parents Carmel and Hugh O’Neill.

“I feel like we’ve won the lottery, to be honest with you," says Hilary at the end of episode three of the current RTÉ One series.

A couple of years ago if someone had said that we’d be expecting baby number three and moving into a Dermot Bannon-designed dream house, never in a million years would I have believed it — and here we are. It’s a dream come true, really.”

Her parents are also excited. 

A bedroom in the Blessington home. Picture: Ruth Maria Photography

They are planning to move into a brand-new home that will be built on the footprint of a former stable on the garden about 40m from the existing house.

Heads-up about the spin-off to come — that episode is to feature in an upcoming series of Room to Improve.

The site overlooks Blessington Lakes in County Wicklow.

Hilary and Paul Fairbrother with Dermot Bannon at a house that they visited to help inspire the build. Picture: Ruth Maria Photography 

Hilary, a speech therapist, and Paul, a deputy school principal, had been living in a rented apartment in Castleknock.

When her parents first spoke of downsizing, Hilary says, “I couldn’t bear the thought of it [the Blessington property] potentially leaving the family. This opportunity allows Mum and Dad to live here in the area they love so much, on the site they love so much.” 

Dermot is energised by the project.

Dermot with Hilary and Paul. Picture: RTE

In college, this would have been called a no-fail site. You could have put a tent here and it’ll look amazing."

Hilary and Paul have a budget of €525,00.

To rebuild and insulate the house will cost €276,000, Dermot estimates, with the price tag on the build for Carmel and Hugh’s new house estimated at €301,000.

“It’s kind of incredible what we’re getting for the budget because we’re essentially getting two houses for what we’d get for one house in Dublin and that’s the reality of it,” says Paul.

The energy retrofit is well-timed. 

Hugh and Carmel O'Neill with Dermot Bannon. Picture: RTE

Dermot looks askance at two radiators, one of which he proclaims to be “as big as a car”.

The architect says while the original house has an “American cabin feel”, what with its exposed rafters and logs, it "is ironic because I didn’t take off my coat the whole time I walked around".

The Blessington home. Picture: Ruth Maria Photography

Contractor Peter Doyle and his team carry out the work in seven months.

Quantity surveyor Claire Irwin is also happy with how things add up at the end.

The final tally is €350,000, with a grant of €25,000 coming from the SEAI.

The family move into the freshly rendered, newly roofed and reoriented house just before Christmas.

“What an absolute privilege to get to work on a site like this — with those views it’s every architect’s dream,” says Dermot. 

“It was a brilliant team breathing new life into this home. 

"But for me, the icing on the cake was to be part of Hilary and Paul’s dream to move home.” 

WORKS AND DESIGN 

Most of the works are energy upgrades so you’ll never see them, according to Dermot.

The design plan extended the living space out onto the “exposed underused balcony” to reframe the stunning view all the way down to the lake.

The new extension along with the existing sitting room and study became a large kitchen, living and dining space, connected to a cosy living room, taking the place of the old dining area.

The existing kitchen became a new ensuite bedroom and utility opening out onto a new spine corridor.

Adjacent to the entranceway is a WC, a cloakroom and an uninterrupted view of the lake from the front door.

Down the half flight of stairs one wing of the house was reconfigured into a home office, a master bedroom, with an ensuite and a walk-in wardrobe.

Claire Irwin, QS, right, and Dermot Bannon, architect, left. Picture: Ruth Maria Photography

The basement with the children’s ensuite bedrooms remained untouched except for the exterior walls which were reclad to create the effect of a plinth solidly connected to the ground.

Upstairs the first floor was divided into four glazed bays, the last of which forms a glass shelter for the outdoor deck.

• Room to Improve is on RTÉ One at 9.30pm on Sunday and also on RTÉ Player