UNION Hall couple Joan Woods and Richard Bradburn featured on the popular RTÉ show ‘Home of the Year’ earlier this week, which showcased their old stone-built farmhouse, surrounded by animals and the sea.
Living in London with two small children, the family decided they needed a better quality of life and moved to West Cork in 2006 to their mid-19th century ‘dilapidated, damp, and cold’ home, where any period details that existed had long since been removed. Over two years, they rebuilt the house using only traditional materials and methods, with natural or recycled materials. They describe their style as ‘period, natural, rustic, and organic’, as they continued to be sympathetic to the heritage of the property, while maintaining their love for the fact that they each have their own space.
Richard, an editor and writer, has his study, and Joan, a artist and perfumer, has her studio to work on and make her perfumes. The couple were unfortunately not among the finalists, who will be featured on next week’s programme.
