Melmore House, a lovingly restored 1850s villa in Co Down, was revealed as the first home to secure a place in the grand final tonight. The home was originally built in 1855 and previously belonged to former Chief Constable Sir Graham Shillington, but is now home to Fiona, Jonathan and their three children. House of the Year host Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen described the property as the “Brighton of Belfast”.
Fiona and Jonathan told the programme Melmore House’s location, overlooking Belfast Lough, was one of the main reasons they purchased the property. “I had my eye on it for years because it had been on and off the market,” Fiona said. When the family purchased the home, Melmore House had to be completely renovated because of dry rot, wet rot and damp.
“When we came through the doors, it hadn’t been lived in in years, so it was really dark and really dismal,” Fiona said. The couple wanted to change the layout of the home to ensure they could fully appreciate the location. “They [the previous owners] lived in the back of the house, and the rooms with all the beautiful sea views weren’t lived in at all, so we thought we would bring the living area here because it’s all about the views,” Fiona said.
The entrance to Melmore House features stained glass windows leading into a hallway. Sliding doors then lead through to an open dining and kitchen area with an extension leading down to a living space. Fiona and Jonathan transformed the original home’s servan.