Cork couple’s labour of love is up for Home of the Year TV prize

A CORK couple who undertook a vast modernisation of the dormer house where they have lived for almost 30 years appear in the next episode of Home Of The Year on RTÉ1 on Tuesday, March 23, at 8.30pm.

Norma and Stephen Barrett bought a site in 1993 and built a dormer house. In 2017, they decided after 24 years to modernise it, and the result will be shown in all its glory in the popular show.

Stephen, who is an engineer, and Norma, who works in computer science, worked closely with Cook architects to design the house and also helped with the decorating.

They used modern architectural methods such as zinc cladding, the windows have been cleverly planned to bring in as much light and the house has clever detail throughout.

The couple have two children and their family and friends think it is an amazing transformation of an ordinary dormer bungalow to a modern, bright, spacious and comfortable house.

They Barretts are very proud of what they all achieved; they love the new open plan space so much, the outside garden and living space feels like one.

Norma especially loves clutter free homes and this style provided that beautifully. It is very relaxing home for them and their two children and easy to keep clutter-free.

Also in the episode, judges Hugh Wallace, Amanda Bone and Suzie McAdam visit a restored schoolhouse in Co. Down and a modern home in Co. Galway, with one property progressing to the final.

Richard Rodgers lives in a restored 1800s schoolhouse in Co. Down, which was part of an old mill. It had been in abandoned state for many years whenhe came across it.

All the properties that were part of the mill development had been bought by a local builder in 2006 and each was to be restored and brought back to life, however the financial crash meant ‘The School House ‘and a neighbouring property remained unfinished and unsold. In 2013, Richard accidently discovered the schoolhouse and purchased it.

Richard, a retail interior designer, decorated his home himself.

Tanya Lee Conroy and Noel Conroy live with their two daughters in a modernist home in Co. Galway. The house is built on Tanya’s parents’ land, where her grandmother’s cottage used to be.

Tanya and Noel both work in a commercial property development company and project managed their self-build themselves.

The house has a timber frame and a flat roof rubber membrane.