skip to main content

HOTY: This week features a 300-year-old Wicklow cottage

Elaine and Kevin's Wicklow cottage
Elaine and Kevin's Wicklow cottage

Click through the photo gallery above to see the latest batch of homes.

Home of the Year has returned to our screens with a fresh batch of stunning houses and creative homeowners.

Now in its 10th season, the beloved show champions homes that are filled with personality as well as ingenuity. Tonight's episode celebrated the individuality of each featured property, with judges Hugh Wallace, Amanda Bone and Sara Cosgrove passionately debating over the highs and lows of the three houses.

Watch the latest episode on the RTÉ Player.

As always, the show will span the length and breadth of the country, offering an endless amount of home inspiration, from small fixer-uppers to new builds and everything in between.

This week's episode included a 300-year-old Wicklow cottage, a 1920s terraced house in Dublin, and an eclectic self-build in Louth.

Elaine Mackenzie-Smith and Kevin Coughlan, Wicklow 

Elaine and Kevin's Wicklow cottage

Elaine and Kevin live in a beautiful 300-year-old cottage over-looking a lake in Co. Wicklow along with their three children.  

The cottage was built in the 1700s and the couple purchased it in 2011, when it was the one and only house they went to view. They lived in the original cottage with their first child until they extended it in 2016 and later renovated the home in 2021. 

They have created a modern family home that Kevin designed, and that Elaine finished, with colour and a sense of style that is beautiful but still comfortable for their kids to enjoy.

Eugene McCarthy, Dublin

Eugene and Alex's Dublin home

Eugene and his son Alex live in a 1920s terraced house in Dublin. Eugene purchased this property in 2022 and completed extensive renovations both aesthetically and structurally. The house underwent a deep retrofit and rear extension with a view to transforming it into a contemporary A-rated home. 

Eugene's main aim was to create a modern home which is sustainable, so he added solar panels and an electric car charging station in the driveway.

He describes the interior of the home as contemporary and light filled, he sees it as the perfect home for him and his son, that meets all their needs.

Olivia and Peter Phillips, Louth

Peter and Olivia's Louth home

Olivia and Peter Phillips live in an eclectic self-build in Co. Louth with their three girls and Paddy the cat.

The couple built their house on Olivia's family land in 2004, and the home has had quite a transformation over the years, starting off with a neutral palette but now having bright bold colours throughout.

During lockdown, Olivia discovered an interest in interior design and completed an online course - now Peter jokes that he never knows what is going to have changed when he walks through the door.

The family describes their style of home as eclectic, with a real mix of new and vintage, that feels welcoming and cosy and which is a true reflection of their personalities.  

Read Next