Home of the Year offers a good excuse for a bit of good-natured interiors voyeurism
Keep chomping on those carrots so your eyes will be in perfect working order for that prolonged annual gaze through the keyhole as returns for a sixth series next week.
It’s always a good excuse for a bit of good-natured interiors voyeurism and among the residences I’m looking forward to checking out are a lighthouse keeper’s cottage as well as converted buildings, including a former carriage house.
Championing creativity, individuality and clever design, the hugely popular series features homeowners around Ireland who have done something special to the place they call home.
Over eight weeks, 21 homes will compete for the Home of the Year title in 2020, with three very different properties featured each week. From restorations, new builds, renovations and re-design features people who have created their dream home.
The series showcases very different homes and these include a former shop, re-imagined semi-detached houses, architectural properties, DIY residences, restored period homes and brand-new builds.
The three judges making the decisions are design legend Hugh Wallace, interior designer Deirdre Whelan and architect Peter Crowley who will individually score each of the homes out of 10.
The home with the highest combined score in each programme will go through to the final, where the ultimate winner will be crowned.
Award-winning architect Hugh Wallace has been a judge on the series every year for six years but said he was “gobsmacked by the creativity and passion” every home owner showed this series. “They just get better and better every year,” he said.
Hugh, founding partner of Douglas Wallace Consultants, has a passion for creative design that engages with its audience to create conversation and comment.
He believes that good architecture is essential to create social cohesion and enhance our enjoyment of our landscape and living environment whether in the city or country side.
Back for his second series, Peter Crowley is a founding director of award-winning architectural firm PAC studio, a design-led practice where environmental considerations are key to making spaces that feel good.
“This year’s journey around Ireland brought myself, Deirdre, and Hugh to a fantastic mix of unique homes, amazing locations, and great creativity,” he said.
Deirdre Whelan is an award-winning interior designer based in Dublin. Deirdre has over 25 years of experience in the interior design industry in both residential and commercial projects.
She is an associate in one of Dublin’s highly respected architectural practices, Scott Tallon Walker Architects where she and her colleague Raffaella Roncoroni run the interiors department. This is Deirdre’s fifth year as a judge on the series.
DESIGN OF THE TIMES
All roads will lead to Cork as the city becomes creative central this summer when a trendy festival returns to its streets.
Following its hugely successful debut in Cork in spring 2019, Design Pop, Cork’s new design and food celebration, is whetting appetites for its return from May 22 to May 24.
Six designers and six food producers will join forces to unleash their ideas in six pop-up pavilions, while exhibitions, talks and workshops will also get people talking and thinking.
Design Pop brings together leading Irish designers to create pop-up installation structures which will go on display in various locations across the city over three days.
Each designer is paired with a Cork-based food or drink producer to create a bespoke space which the public are invited to explore and interact with.
The 2019 edition saw designers Shane O’Driscoll, Alan Macilwraith, Fíor Studios, Meitheal Architects, Conor Merriman, and Alex Pentex team up with food specialists Banana Melon, Good Day Deli, All Full up, My Goodness, Soma and Applebee Cakes.
The new pairings for the 2020 festival will be revealed in the coming weeks, confirmed festival organisers.
As well as the tempting new design and food trail across the city, the festival also hosts a jam-packed programme of events which will take place both within the designed structures and in more unusual spaces around Cork allowing artists, creatives, food stylists, producers, designers, and makers, to discuss and showcase their work processes.
Festival director Amy McKeogh said:
Our ambition is to make Design Pop the number-one cultural, creative and design-led event in Ireland and it seeks to establish Cork as the heart of it all.
