A property in County Antrim has picked up the coveted RTE Home of the Year award, having been selected from a shortlist of seven dwellings across the island of Ireland.

The architectural new build lies in a forested coastal area with impressive sea and mountain views, but the design was what most impressed the judges. Consisting of a single storey, the property was created from sustainable materials with a strong emphasis on matching the interior and exterior design facilities.

Rob and Janice McConnell designed the home themselves and entered into the competition after some hesitation. Their home was among 21 properties visited by the judges for this year’s competition.

The overall standard of the competition was high, with particular praise coming from judge Hugh Wallace. He remarked: “After visiting two hundred amazing homes over the last nine years of Home of the Year, I'm blown away by this year's seven finalists.”

Construction firms may not mass produce homes like the one created by the McConnells, least of all when not all will enjoy such a grand location, but firms seeking diggers for sale in Northern Ireland may at least take some inspiration from the sort of designs that have proved most popular and impressive, applying elements of these where possible.

The other homes to make the shortlist included two dwellings in Northern Ireland. There was an Edwardian home in Belfast with an extension that contained a roof light, bringing in much more natural light, while another to feature was a revamped Victorian house in County Down.

Such properties, along with the other finalists in the Republic, could help provide architects and construction firms alike with new ideas as they set out to construct new homes around Northern Ireland. For example, features like extra light may be among the most desirable in new homes built from modern materials.