Local homes feature on House of the Year show

Following on from the success of the first series, House Of The Year once again sees presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowenas he takes a tour around the eighteen short-listed homes and spends time with the three expert judges.

In the second programme Brian and Pat Green's Hillsborough home was featured while in the third programme on BBC One Northern Ireland this coming Monday (January 17) at 7.30pm, Jonathan and Joanne Kelly's house in Lisburn, will be shown.

Throughout the series Laurence is joined by an expert panel of judges who get the chance to view the three houses in each programme.

They are Des Ewing, award-winning architect; Michael Dunn, freelance property consultant with over 20 years experience as an estate agent and Suzanne Garuda, international interior designer who has worked on everything from royal palaces to luxury yachts.

The judges will evaluate each house featured in the semi-finals and final on the following criteria: architectural integrity; interior design; use of space/circulation/layout /natural light/lighting; external merit; environmental credentials and overall ambience and appeal.

In the seventh and final programme of the series, the judges will select two runners-up and an overall winner. The winner will receive the BBC Northern Ireland House of the Year Title and Trophy. The trophies are bespoke sculptures handcrafted by local artist, David Granville.

There is also an Individual Merit Award for which all contestants featured in the series are eligible, whether or not they make it to the Final.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen said: "Where you live says so much about who you are, how you feel about yourself and how you'd like to be seen by other people. This series is a fabulous opportunity to show off just how good you are at home making. I'll be looking for homes that ooze personality and idiosyncratic charm, and who knows there might even be marks off for magnolia."

Feargal O'Kane, Series Producer, added: "We are very pleased with the new series - it really looks great. There is a real variety of houses, from the very small to the huge, and an incredible range of styles. There are some surprises in there that will definitely get people talking round the water cooler the following morning'.

For more on the short listing and judging process log on to bbc.co.uk/houseoftheyear

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Laurence Llewelyn Bowen presents a new series of House of the Year on Mondays, BBC One Northern Ireland at 7.30pm

Laurence Llewelyn Bowen (right) with BBC Northern Ireland House of the Year judges, from left, Michael Dunn, Des Ewing and Suzanne Garuda.

The Lisburn home of Jonathan and Joanne Kelly which features in Monday night's House of the Year on BBC One Northern Ireland at 7.30pm