Siobhan Lam on going from contestant to judge on Home of the Year

Home of the Year is set to return to our screens on 18 February with a fresh batch of stunning houses, creative homeowners, and a brand-new judge.

Interior designer and consultant Siobhan Lam is set to join Hugh Wallace and Amanda Bone for series 11 of the hit show for her first foray into television, replacing previous judge Sara Cosgrove.

The proud founder of April and the Bear - the pretty pink interiors shop in Dublin's Rathmines - Lam plans to bring her passion for quirky design, fearless colour, and statement pieces to the table.

"I'm not the biggest fan of following a trend or anything like that," she explains. "I'm a big believer in trusting your own gut, following your own instincts. Every home shouldn't look the same. I certainly don't get excited when I walk into a super generic beige house that could be anyone's home."

"I like to walk into a home and instantly see the personality of the home owner," she adds. "When I can see their passions on the walls - be that comic books or vintage guitars - I'm learning about that person."

While clever design and sustainable functionality are important to all three of the judges, Lam says she values creativity above all else.

"I, like a lot of people, like to have a peek inside someones house through the windows," she laughs. "So this opportunity, where I can actually go in and properly look, was such a fantastic opportunity."

"There's so many incredible homes," she continues. "It makes sense, Irish people are incredibly creative in our core, so it makes sense to me that we're pouring that creativity into our homes - they're our havens, our safe places."

Their home was a renovated terrace that the couple described as urban, eclectic, industrial, and contemporary. Originally built in the 1890s, the property had been turned into three bedsits when the couple bought it. Their impressive renovation featured personal touches throughout the home including a dining table that doubled as a chalk board.

"It needed so much love," she reflects. "It was three horrendous bedsits that were covered in pine. We knew that if we properly invested - not just with money, but with out hearts - we knew it would be something special."

"We moved into the top bedsit and started ripping everything out of the home while we lived there, so it kind of became our entire world. Every minute that we weren't at our real jobs, we were in the house knocking down walls, pulling down chimneys, putting back up walls, putting in doors..."

Although their impressive property didn't take home the title of 'Home of the Year' in 2015, the experience of creating a home from scratch did lead Siobhan to create her own business.

"It was really hard to find home accessories and furniture for the house that wasn't super generic," she muses. "There was a gap in the market, so I did a bit of exploring and, from that, April and the Bear came into existance."

With 10 years of experience behind her, a decade that saw her transform from contestant to judge, Siobhan says she has a real appreciation for all that goes into the show - on both sides of the camera.

"It's absolutely wild," she states. "At the time, I remember it being such a huge deal for us to have people in our homes and for us to be on TV. It was very exciting and it's interesting now to go into people's homes - I know exactly how they feel.

"It's a big responsibility. You never want to make people feel not good about the choices they've made in their home but, unfortunately, we're there to judge," she laughs.

Ultimately, though, Lam says that you shouldn't dress your home with anyone but yourself in mind. No matter if it's Hugh Wallace or Mary down the road knocking on your door.

"It's about creating a space that you are happy in, and I really think you should forget everyone else when it comes to your home."