RTÉ's hit show Room to Improve returned to Irish TV screens on Sunday night with plenty of drama and design as Dermot Bannon took on a tricky "part downsize, part upsize" challenge in Clonsilla, west Dublin.
Empty nesters Deirdre and Kieran Kelly were ready for a new chapter, but instead of selling their longtime family home, they decided to return to their original first house, a much smaller 1990s semi-detached property in a friendly neighbourhood they had never been able to part with.
The couple wanted a home that would allow them to entertain friends and family while still feeling cosy and manageable, and Dermot's solution was to blur the line between inside and outside. His ambitious plan centred around a triple-zoned ground floor, a striking glass corner extension and clever landscaping to make the most of the limited footprint.
However, as always on Room to Improve, big ideas came with big decisions. Kieran's dream of a "man cave" in the garden was quickly put to bed when the price tag gave them a shock. Instead, the idea evolved into a stylish covered outdoor space that became one of the home's standout features.
Despite the inevitable tensions, compromises and last-minute changes, the transformation was beautiful.
The once modest semi-detached was turned into a light-filled, modern home designed around how Deirdre and Kieran actually live now, rather than how they lived when raising a family.
From the sleek new extension to the cleverly designed outdoor areas, the Clonsilla project showed how thoughtful design can completely reinvent a smaller home, even if it did come at a massive price.
The initial budget of €230,000 ended up at a whopping €275,000 after the couple added on extras worth €45,000, including removing a chimney breast and installing underfloor heating to the whole ground floor.
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