RTÉ Home of the Year: See the Galway upside-down house and bijou Dublin semi-D in final

'Sitting in that chair with a cocktail in my hand, it blows my mind that we were able to pull off something like this'

Tue, 07 Apr, 2026 - 20:32

Eve Kelliher

When we switch on Home of the Year, we're here to eavesdrop on Ireland's design doyens' declarations on transformative trends — and their own transparent takes on them.

As an upside-down living space in Galway finishes in the top spot in the sixth episode RTÉ One, a semi-detached residence in Dublin is the scene of some cut-out-and-keep pieces of wisdom.

This residence also wins a place in the final thanks to interior designer Siobhán Lam, who presents it with her "golden key" for its “eclectic” appeal.

Home of the Year: Inside the Dublin apartment and Cork house through to the final

Meet the Kerry 'Home of the Year' stars who built their dream coastal property

Approaching the two up, two down, Siobhán and her fellow judges admire the contrast between the old brickwork and new windows. But inside, a glass block in the kitchen shatters the peace as architects Amanda Bone and Hugh Wallace debate its merits.

Amanda insists the feature is "dated", but an outraged Hugh disagrees. “Glass blocks are hot, they’re in baby!” he says.

Galway

Laoise lives in a turret-style “top-down” property in Galway, which impresses the judges so much they send it straight through to the final at the end of this episode on a scoreline of 26.

It features an upstairs kitchen and dining area, to make the most of the view, with the two bedrooms located downstairs.

The property was not in a liveable condition when Laoise first moved in, so she carried out renovations, gutting the building, only leaving the internal doors and fireplace.

After a deep retrofit, the house now has an open-plan kitchen and dining area with new plumbing and wiring.

The interior style is classic and timeless, the rooms decorated with minimal pieces of furniture that Laoise believes will stand the test of time.

Dublin

Finbarr and Gareth live in a two-storey brick house in Dublin and have spent the last few years renovating the home in stages, with Finbarr taking the lead on the design of the home.

Together, with each other’s hard work and some handy YouTube tutorials, the couple crafted a relaxing and creative space.

Finbarr bought this terraced home in Dublin in 2021 and shortly after met his partner Gareth, who jokes he was impressed when he saw “he lived near the street where the Spice Girls filmed their video”. “I designed everything myself and built a lot of the furniture myself — even out in the garden, I DIYed all of that — and got my father up out of retirement. It was hard labour; we were living on a building site for three years, good fun!” says Finbarr.

Pointing to the mid-century chair by connecting doors leading to their outdoor living space, Finbarr adds, “This chair’s our favourite spot in our home. Both myself and Gareth love sitting there, the sun coming in in the evening, drinking cocktails — first come, first serve!

“It’s hard to imagine, back when it was at its worst, there were piles of wood everywhere. This chair replaces bags of cement, so that in itself is an upgrade!

“Sitting in that chair with a cocktail in my hand, it blows my mind that we were able to pull off something like this.”

Siobhán immediately alights on the perch. She approves of its stylishness and notes that, complete with a home bar, this nook is “making really great use of the space”.

Approaching from the outside, the Dublin interior designer had been curious to see how the owners had reconfigured such a “petite site”.

Amanda, who awards it seven marks, admires much inside although she says she thinks there’s “a little too much of everything; it would have benefited from editing”.

The two-up, two down, earns praise from Hugh as well as a mark of eight, because he sees it as “full of personality and charm”.

Siobhán, who gave it a nine as well as her golden key, loves that the terraced home reflects the owners’ personality.

Mayo

Erica and Liam spent four years bringing their dream home to life, working steadily through covid pandemic times to complete their exquisite new-build bungalow in Co Mayo.

Georgian-inspired in design, the home features an elegant H-shaped layout, creating a serene outdoor courtyard that acts as a private extension of the living space — a refined retreat for the couple and their four children.

Every detail has been thoughtfully considered, from the harmonious proportions to the careful selection of finishes, reflecting the couple’s eye for understated luxury.

Erica and Liam describe their home as a bright, classic yet contemporary family sanctuary, a space where sophisticated design meets practical living, offering both style and tranquillity for everyday family life.

The judges award it 25 marks.