PICTURES: Inside the third home fast-tracked to RTE Home of the Year final

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The third home to fight it out for the overall winning title has been chosen, despite one judge not being too fond… 

An historic Georgian Rectory in county Derry came out on top in the third episode of the latest series of RTÉ’s Home of the Year. 

Now the third home chosen to be fast-tracked to the series final, the judges scored the historic house 25 out of 30 - crowning it the winner of episode three, airing on Tuesday, March 5. 

The winning house boasted a plain exterior which contrasted with its busy but unique, stylish interior. Judges Amanda Bone, Sara Cosgrave and Hugh Wallace were impressed with the property’s vibrant style.

The other two contenders which missed out on becoming the third finalist were a 1930's renovated bungalow in Dublin and a self-build, modern home in Co Cork. 

The ‘most unusual’ winner fast-tracked to the final was situated in the rural countryside of Derry. 250 years old, the big historic building was said to be ‘giving nothing away’ from the outside, according to judge Sara Cosgrove.

Fellow judge Hugh Wallace added: “In this home, I feel very content and I would love to stay here. I think this is genuinely the most amazing, happy home.”

Despite two of the three  judges admiring the home dating from the 18th century, Amanda Bone wasn’t overly keen on the busyness of the decor: “I feel the homeowners style of interiors overwhelm the character of the home, and distract from the architectural detailing,” she said, scoring it a seven.

Compared to the other two houses in this episode, the three-storey old rectory was quirky and filled with busy wallpapers and pops of colour, while the other two properties boasted more modern, minimal, and elegant finishes.

Despite Amanda’s reservations, the old rectory came out on top. Over eight weeks, 21 homes in Ireland will be chosen to compete for the title of Home of the Year.